Pleasington Antlers turns into great battle between Lancashire team-mates
There was a great battle between two Jacks at Pleasington yesterday with Southport & Ainsdale’s Jack McPhail coming out on top to earn himself his second golfnews24 Northern Order of Merit title.
FORMAT: 36-hole stroke play
Last year’s Caldy Quart champion finished three clear of the rest in the end but for most of the afternoon he was engaged in a great tussle with 2021 overall champion Jack Brooks (The Mere).
The duo, who played together at this year’s Brabazon and St Andrews Links Trophy, were once again in the same group at the East Lancashire venue. There was a huge turning point at the 14th where the S & A player drove into heavy rough while Brooks, who was just two shots back at the time, found the fairway and then hit the green.
McPhail, who finished second in this year’s Caldy Quart, conjured up a brilliant recovery shot which trundled to within 12 feet of the flag before his playing partner three putted to leave himself three back with four to play.
In the final reckoning Brooks would finish fifth while James Nash (Ormskirk) earned himself the runners-up spot on countback, ahead of Dominic Belch (Bolton), thanks to a closing 67, which was the lowest round of the day.
“Pretty much all the way around I was telling myself if I could beat Jack (Brooks) I won would win it,” said the 21-year-old.
McPhail, who finished 14th at the Brabazon Trophy back in May, got off to a poor start and after 14 holes were four over and five behind Brooks, who despite a double bogey on 13, would end the first round as the leader by one.
The eventual champion roared back into contention with four birdies in a row, starting at the 14th where he holed out from 10 feet. At the next he stiffed a 9 iron before firing a wedge to 10 feet at the par three 16th and then almost holed his lob wedge at the 17th. That run got him back to level par and in a tie for second.
McPhail added: “Couse management errors cost me early on. I just kept hitting it in the wrong places.”
In the afternoon, McPhail drew level with the leader thanks to stunning eagle at the fifth where he fired a two iron to three feet although it was still really tight until the tenth where Brooks doubled the long par three and then McPhail birdied 11 and 12, both times holing out from around seven feet.
Elsewhere Nash enjoyed an excellent run on the front nine but, having found five birdies before the turn, he could not find any more coming home and parred in from ten.
Meanwhile McPhail parred in from 14 on his way to a three-under 68 while Brooks bogeyed the last two to finish five back.