Martin Sell back in winning form

On Sunday we ran a very successful Pro-Am tournament for Mentmore Golf & C.C.  sponsored by local car leasing company Greenfleets, their generosity ensuring an excellent prize-fund for the professionals and great prizes for the Team Amateurs.

It was a huge success and enjoyed by both the Amateurs and Professionals alike. Our sincere thanks to both the Mentmore organising team and all sponsors.

A breezy start on the first day made shot making difficult but the immaculately prepared greens gave the better putters in the field a chance to post a score. Some 45 players managed to beat the par of 72 including Mark Chamberlain who after a mundane 2 over par 38 front nine went into overdrive completing the back half in a stunning 29 shots which included 5 birdies and an eagle.

Even his 5 under par score was not good enough to head the leader board and he joined Michael Lowe, Kieran Staunton, Michael Bush, Shaun Malone and Darryn Lloyd one shot behind Ian Winstanley on 66 who headed the charge to catch Martin Sell and Andy Shakespear who both shot magnificent 7 under par 65’s.

Things always hot up on the second day and local hero Will Roebuck was looking to leap up the leader board and a possible win, however both Shakespear and Sell stood in his way, 3 shots ahead.

Nathan Treacher showed what was possible by carding the second back nine score of 29 in two days for a 7 under par 65 and elevation into the prize fund.
Lee Corfield bolted out of the pack to set an early target of 10 under by adding a flawless 7 under par card of 65 to his first round 69.

Roebuck started badly by bogeying the first hole but after that he made a headlong charge for the title. Carding 8 birdies in the remaining 17 holes to overtake Corfield as clubhouse leader at 11 under par. Now all he could do was wait and see if it would be good enough.

The two first round leaders were enduring differing fortunes on the front nine with Sell stumbling along to reach the turn in one over par 37 which dropped him well behind the main contenders who were all making birdies.

Shakespear on the other hand was making steady progress up the leader board and turned in 34 to lie just one behind the clubhouse leaders with nine holes to play.

Sell birdied ten and eleven to make up a little lost ground but still had a lot to do.
Shakespear also birdied ten and continued to harvest pars still wondering if it was to be, or not to be his day.
With Sell parring the twelfth and thirteenth the tournament had play-off written all over it. However suddenly Sell started an amazing charge of a man possessed, with a run of 3 birdies and an eagle on the 17th that vaulted him into the lead on 13 under par. Shakespear also birdied the 17th to get to 11 under and with the difficult 18th to play it was still not over.
Both hit good tee shots but Sell tugged his second which looked water bound for a swim but the ball just pulled up short leaving him with a very difficult pitch to the green and a hoped for bogey at worse.
With little or no room for a back swing Sell played a magnificent recovery to within 4 feet and then confidently rolled in his par putt to win the first prize cheque for £6,000.
This left Roebuck and Shakespear in joint second place on 11 under par, each winning £2,375 as a consolation.
Mentmore’s course manager, Danny, always presents the course in pristine condition and this coupled with the hospitality on offer in the clubhouse makes it a must visit golfing destination.