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Bowring bounces back to win PGA Championship
James Bowring set a course record, then saw a two-shot lead disappear into a three-shot deficit, before holding himself together to win by four shots during a roller-coaster UAE PGA Championship sponsored by RAK Ceramics at Al Hamra Golf Club.
With the revamped Championship being played over 36 holes for the first time this year, Bowring (Al Naboodah) took command with a course-record three-under par 69 on the first day.
Jebel Ali Golf Resort’s Stuart Fee was Bowring’s nearest challenger, lying two shots back after a one-under 71 over the first 18 on the links-style layout in Ras Al Khaimah.
Fee started the second round in scintillating fashion and powered round the front nine in just 33 shots to race into a three-shot lead at the turn.
Bowring, although in his own words “playing good golf”, bogeyed holes six, seven and eight, to give Fee the advantage.
A run of pars followed for Bowring while Fee dropped shots at the 10th and 13th. It was that point that Bowring seized his opportunity and a birdie at the par-five 14th was followed by a 20-foot putt for another at the 214-yard 15th as he took control again.
Fee was struggling off the tee on the back nine and poor drives at the 16th and 17th which found bad lies in the sand put paid to any chance he might have as three more shots leaked away.
Bowring stood on the 18th with a four-shot lead and struck a superb drive 320 yards down the middle on the long par five to set up a par and the Dh4,050 winner’s prize.
Bowring, who revealed it was the largest prize he had won during his professional career, said: “On both days I drove the ball great and hit a lot of greens. With the greens being excellent - firm and quick - I actually got a few putts to drop!
“I have been working hard on my game for about six weeks now with new coach Mark Gregson-Walters and there were signs of my game coming together last week in the Black Tee Challenge when I took the third spot.
“Obviously shooting 69 on day one felt great to get the course record but coming back in 35 on day two was the best feeling knowing that I played solid and good finish the job."
The new two-day format of the even was an undoubted success among the UAE Professional Golfers’ Association, and was the concluding strokeplay event of an expanded calendar which has seen more than Dh80,000 in prize money awarded on the Order of Merit circuit, thanks to the backing of the Association’s patrons Al Naboodah, Rotana Hotels, SpenglerFox and Dubai Golf Publishing.
PGA CHAMPIONSHIPS 2008 16th OOM Event at Al Hamra Golf Resort Monday 12th - Tuesday 13th 2008
Results – top 10
| 1st | 69 73 (-2) | James Bowring | Al Naboodah Group |
| 2nd | 74 72 (+2) | Simon Payne | The Palm Sports Resort Al Ain |
| 3rd | 71 76 (+3) | Stuart Fee | Jebel Ali Golf Resort |
| 4th | 76 73 (+5) | Ross McArthur | Al Hamra Golf Club |
| 5th | 77 74 (+7) | Luke Cantelo | The Montgomerie |
| T6th | 76 76 (+8) | Malcolm Young | Arabian Ranches GC |
| T6th | 78 74 (+8) | Nick Oakley< | IGLS |
| 8th | 77 77 (+10) | Cyril Rozes | Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club |
| T9th | 77 78 (+11) | Stephen Hubner | Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club |
| T9th | 79 76 (+11) | Richard Sheridan | Four Seasons Golf Club |
PGA CHAMPIONSHIPS 2008
Prize money
| Position | Amount | Score | Player |
| 1st | Dhs 4050 | 142 | James Bowring |
| 2ND | Dhs 3040 | 146 | Simon Payne |
| 3RD | Dhs 2360 | 147 | Stuart Fee |
| 4TH | Dhs 2025 | 149 | Ross McArthur |
| 5TH | Dhs 1350 | 151 | Luke Cantelo |
| T6TH | Dhs 335 | 152 | Nick Oakley and Malcolm Young |
2007-08 Order of Merit after 16th event, UAE PGA Championships
Only one event remains, the match play final. With 100 points for the winner, Simon Payne has an assailable lead at the top of the Order of Merit.
2007-08 Order of Merit
after 16th event, UAE PGA Championships
Only one event remains, the match play final. With 100
points for the winner, Simon Payne has an assailable lead at the top of the Order
of Merit.
|
NAME
|
|
NO. OF
|
TOTAL
|
|
|
|
EVENTS PLAYED
|
POINTS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Simon
|
Payne
|
13
|
795 (Champion)
|
|
Stephen
|
Hubner
|
10
|
645
|
|
Luke
|
Cantelo
|
10
|
555
|
|
David
|
Gray
|
10
|
552.5
|
|
Nick
|
Oakley
|
10
|
547.5
|
|
Greg
|
Holmes
|
10
|
392.5
|
|
Richard
|
Sheridan
|
7
|
387.5
|
|
Graeme
|
Bell
|
7
|
380*
|
|
Malcolm
|
Young
|
8
|
377.5
|
|
Craig
|
Martin
|
12
|
335
|
|
James
|
Bowring
|
12
|
327.5
|
|
Jamie
|
Wood
|
10
|
305
|
|
Julius
|
Pohjola
|
6
|
280*
|
|
Stephen
|
Sweeney
|
6
|
255
|
|
Dave
|
Adams
|
7
|
237.5
|
|
Justin
|
Parsons
|
5
|
235
|
|
Alan
|
MacKenzie
|
5
|
232.5
|
|
Ross
|
McArthur
|
4
|
197.5
|
|
Stuart
|
Fee
|
4
|
187.5
|
|
Andrew
|
Pilfold
|
10
|
155
|
|
Cyril
|
Rozes
|
7
|
155
|
|
Simon
|
Mees
|
5
|
152.5
|
|
David
|
Condon
|
5
|
140
|
|
Paul
|
Dennis
|
4
|
137.5
|
|
Andrew
|
Whitelaw
|
2
|
127.5
|
|
Chris
|
Vallender
|
7
|
95
|
|
Alasdair
|
Danson-Webster
|
5
|
92.5
|
|
Martin
|
Duff
|
9
|
82.5
|
|
Gavin
|
Chappell
|
4
|
|