Jack Brooks maintained his charge towards first place in the overall golfnews24 Northern Order of Merit standings thanks to an emphatic victory at Childwall on Friday.
FORMAT: 36-hole stroke play
Penwortharm’s Chris Parkinson has led since the second event of the year – The Delamere Horn – but his lead was reduced to six points as the England international finished seven shots clear of James Haswell (Ormskirk) and Formby’s Tom Hughes at the Liverpool course.
The Mere player has collected 70 points during the last four events and it was a particularly satisfying success after he finished second in the corresponding competition at Childwall two years ago.
“I have only played at Childwall in the Northern Order of Merit once before so it was nice to go one better,” said Brooks.
“And the club ran the event really well so it was a good day all-round.”
The 2021 Northern Order of Merit champion went into the afternoon round two behind Haswell. In the morning, last year’s Lancashire Boys champion got to five under after 11 – an eagle at the short par four 11th got him there – before he dropped one coming home on his his way to a 68. Royal Lytham’s Kieran Hogarth was a shot back on three under.
However both players could only manage a 76 after lunch while Brooks came storming home in 31 to race clear. He almost pitched in for an eagle at the 10th and then reeled off three birdies in a row, starting at the 13th.
While the pins were in difficult positions, the Bolton-based player played some superb stuff tee to green. He put his approaches to four feet at the 13th and 15th and then knocked in a 15-footer at 17.
Brooks added: “I hit the ball really well and played really solidly. I kept giving myself chances at every hole.”
Hughes followed up his opening 73 with a 71 to take second on countback and his 20-point haul moved him up to fifth in the overall standings.