Cheetham holds on for victory

NEIL Cheetham cleaned after an untidy start in the Phoenix Gas Classic at Cheshire resort Wychwood Park.

And the 43-year-old Dore & Totley tournament professional pledged to use his victory as a springboard to success on the South African Sunshine Tour which he will rejoin next month.

“I have some important events coming up and this is certain to lift my confidence,” he said.

His three-shot overnight lead was whittled down to one after a brace of bogeys before he restored the advantage on the home stretch, an eagle at the 12th proving crucial in the final analysis.

After closing with a level par 72 to add to his opening 66 for a six-under total, he said: “I struck the ball better than in the first round but I missed a few early chances then made a couple of mistakes. I realised I could not afford any more and so I upped my game.”

This was his fifth Order of Merit win in the PGA North Region which he supports during the two-month break from playing in South Africa.

“It’s great to meet up with my old pals and I notice that the standard has increased over the last four or five years. You have to be on top form to have any chance of success,” he observed.

The irrepressible Mossock Hall-attached David Shacklady, celebrating his elevation to the PGA Cup team to face the United States in California in September, closed with 69 matched by Andrew Barnett, from North Wales Golf Range, to share second place.

Meanwhile Cheetham, who has a home on the outskirts of Johannesburg he shares with his partner Lucy and seven-month-old son Oliver, has hinted that he wants to return permanently to the UK as a teaching or club pro.

“But that’s a few years down the line because I’m not done yet as a player,” added the man who lost to Masters champion Charl Schwartzel in a play-off for the Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek in 2005.

LEADING SCORES (Par=72): 138 Neil Cheetham (Dore & Totley) 66 72; 141 David Shacklady (Mossock Hal) 72 69, Andrew Barnett (North Wales Golf Range) 72 69; 143 D Smith (Swinton Park) 70 73, Grant Hamerton (Brookdale) 70 73; 144 David Clark (Morpeth) 73 71, Phil Waugh (Close House) 73 71; 145 Barry Taylor (Houghwood) 71 74, Will Barnes (Garstang) 72 75.