Sussex PGA professional Michael Bullen prevailed in a play-off to win the PGA Assistants’ Championship at Pleasington Golf Club in Lancashire and join a distinguished band that includes Tony Jacklin, Peter Alliss and Dai Rees.
Due to weather delays on both the previous two days of the tournament, Bullen had to complete the final six holes of the second round before embarking on his final 18 holes. Even then the assistant from Rustington Golf Centre then had to endure in a sudden death play-off with Billy Hemstock (Roehampton).
Having employed a shotgun start for the final round, and commenced play an hour early on successive days to ensure the tournament was contested over its scheduled 54-holes, extra ones were needed to determine the destiny of the trophy and £5,000 winner’s cheque.
In the event, two were required. The first was halved, not so the second. With Hemstock missing the green with his approach, and then chipping to within four-feet, Bullen held his nerve to sink his 12-foot putt for a birdie and victory.
The calmness with which he delivered the coup de grace was at odds with the way the final round had played out. At various points Chris Croucher, Hemstock, Chris Blunden, as well as Bullen, all looked likely winners. But two double bogeys on the back nine did for Croucher, likewise a double bogey, bogey finish for Blunden. Meanwhile, thoughts of a play-off involving Hemstock were fanciful when he birdied five of the first six holes to be 12 under for the tournament. A double-bogey at the par-five ninth, plus two more dropped shots on the way home, trimmed his score to eight under, a total matched by Bullen when he birdied his final hole, the par-four first.
In addition to the prize money, Bullen earned an invitation to play in the Australian PGA Futures Championship, which takes place at Ballarat Golf Club in Victoria in October, and will compete in the PGA Play-Offs in Turkey in November. He will also take a trip to Finland to play with the PGA Assistant’s Championship’s sponsors, Birdietime.
All of which, aside from the financial reward, were not on the 26-year-old’s radar. “They’re great prizes,” he said. “I’ve not been to Australia, so that’s a real bonus. If I’d known about them I’d have been even more nervous standing over that putt. I was a little bit tense at the end – I’ve played Bill in a play-off before, so I was more comfortable than I normally would be, but it was still a nervy finish. It was a long day and it’s been a long week, but I dug in there and played really well. I’m chuffed to bits.”
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