Final Round -Steenkamer’s Back Nine Steamroller Clinches 1st La Manga Club International Pro-Am
PGA of Holland Professional, Joost Steenkamer, completed a stunning back nine comeback during his final round at the Confederation of Professional Golf-sanctioned La Manga Club International Pro-Am today, to finish at even-par for the tournament (218) and take home the winner’s cheque for €4,000.
Steenkamer’s third round at the La Manga Club did not get off to the best of starts with bogeys at the second and fourth holes, followed by a trio of bogeys at holes seven, eight and nine, making the turn in 42 shots and four-over par for the tournament leaving plenty of work to be done.
But his final nine holes at the club’s South Course was in stark contrast to his previous nine beginning an incredible comeback that saw birdies at holes ten, eleven, thirteen and finally from just two-feet on eighteen to ease the pain of his front nine and finish on one-over for the day (74) and even for the tournament.
“It’s the first time I’ve played a tournament since October – I spent three weeks in Latin America trying to play a few events there, so I worked hard on my game,” explained Steenkamer. “Today I got off to a pretty poor start – I actually played pretty well but I was five-over after nine so my team got really quiet and they thought I was going to give it away – but I came back in four-under. I hit a great three-iron into the 18th and actually had an eagle putt, knocked it two-feet by and made birdie, so really happy.”
“My gameplan was basically to be patient and persevere – it was an emotional week this week as two days before I left a cousin of mine died. I played with my dad who is 75 years old so we basically said you know what, we’re going to have a good time and we’re glad to be here and glad to be playing golf.”
Three shots behind in second place was the PGA of Sweden Professional, Mikael Lundberg, who had led through Round 1 after an excellent opening eight-under 65, but lost traction after a second round ten-over 82.
Lundberg’s round was again awash with birdies and bogeys but a one-over front nine and level-par back nine ensured he remained near the top of the leaderboard with his closing 74 and a three-over par (221) total for the tournament.
PGA of Great Britain & Ireland Professional, Brendan McGovern, was one of the other most consistent Professionals across the week. The Irishman added to his first round 75 and second round 74 with a closing one-over par 74 that included a characteristic finishing stretch of seven regulation pars to end in third place for the tournament on five-over par.
In the Team Pro-Am Competition it was the team of PGA of Spain Professional, James Ferraby, that took the stableford honours. Ferraby, together with his Russian amateurs Pavel Shestopalov, Vitaly Samsonov, and Alfonso Grijalva, played consistent team golf all week, but it was the final day that topped it all.
A tournament-highest round of 89 points (-17) was enough for them to capitalise on their Round 2 lead, finishing on 256 points (-40) for the tournament, four shots ahead of their nearest rivals in the shape of Lundberg and his amateurs, Mike Norris, Chris Webb, and Fraser Phillips on 252 points (-36).
Brendan McGovern’s team including amateurs Ronan Reilly, Marcus Burley, and Jonathan Toms, had a closing eight-under par total of 80 points which wasn’t quite enough to advance further than the third place Team Pro-Am honours, ending on a 243-point (-27) total for the week.
Full final tournament scores can be found at http://eur.pe/1cdjmcX.
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Round 2 – Steenkamer Sits One Ahead at La Manga Club International
PGA of Holland Professional, Joost Steenkamer, battled through tough conditions at the La Manga Club’s West Course in Spain, carding a one-over par 73 to total one-under par for the tournament (144) and one ahead of the chasers.
Steenkamer’s [pictured left alongside amateurs Chris Steenkamer, Marc Van Overbeek, Hans de Roos] round was once again up and down with four bogeys and two birdies on the front nine, but managed his back nine much better with only one bogey and two birdies.
But hot on the Dutchman’s heels is Spain’s Carlos Rodiles whose advance on the tournament was solid throughout his second round until the 17th hole when a double bogey seven halted the charge. But an instant birdie response on the 18th hole helped to ease the pain of 17 and leaving Rodiles on even-par for the tournament (145).
Round 1 leader, Mikael Lundberg (PGA of Sweden), wasn’t able to emulate his first round at the South Course with a string of bogeys in both nines for a second round of ten-over par. But yesterday’s round ensured he didn’t end up too far off of the pace, sitting at two-over par for the tournament.
In the Team Pro-Am event, PGA of Spain Professional, James Ferraby, and his team of Pavel Shestopalov, Vitaly Samsonov, and Alfonso Grijalva, lead after a consistent eleven-under, 83-point total, matched with their first round of 84 points, leave them one ahead with 167 points (-23).
Whilst Lundberg’s individual score for the day was not as hot as Round 1’s, his team score was enough to hold second place at 166 points, followed by Brendan McGovern’s team on 163 points.
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Round 1 – Lundberg Lights Up Sunny Spain
PGA of Sweden Professional, Mikael Lundberg, got his La Manga Club International Pro-Am campaign underway today after carding an eight-under 65 to take the lead at the La Manga Club in Spain after Round 1.
Perfect spring conditions leant themselves to good scoring and an eagle on the 4th hole to kick things off, followed by three birdies before the turn on the South Course at La Manga was a dream start for Lundberg.
Three birdies and six regulation pars through the back nine secured the 65 and no less than a five-shot lead heading into Round 2 at La Manga’s West course.
The PGA of Spain’s Carlos Rodiles kept things simple in Round 1 with three birdies at holes four, six and eight, and pars for the remaining holes for a three-under par 70.
In a tie for third place sits the PGA of Holland’s Joost Steenkamer and PGA of France Professional, Julian Gressier. Both Professionals had much more up-and-down rounds than the two Professionals ahead of them – seven birdies, three bogeys and a double for Steenkamer, and six birdies, one bogey, and a triple for Gressier, left them both with two-under 71s.
PGA of Ireland Professional, Brendan McGovern, and PGA of Norway Professional, Audunn Einarsson, both carded two-over par 75s making it 6 players within 10 shots of the lead.
Lundberg and his team of Mike Norris, Chris Webb, and Fraser Phillips also lead the Team Pro-Am competition with a 16-under par 88 points, ahead of Team McGovern on 14-under (86 points).
The third place team of Gressier was helped to their 13-under 85-point total by amateur Raphael Gayraud who made a hole-in-one on the 17th hole of the South course.
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La Manga Club International Pro-Am – Entry Closes Midnight (GMT) 20/02/2014
Time is running out to enter a team into the 1st La Manga Club International Pro-Am and there are limited places remaining, so be sure to book your place as soon as possible.
Entries close on the 20th of February at Midnight (GMT) and the Pro-Am takes place from the 8th- 10th March 2014 at the La Manga Club, Spain.
The Confederation of Professional Golf has renewed its ties with the five-star La Manga Club in a partnership that ignites an old flame between the Association and the resort, and will see PGA Professionals from across the continent contest an overall prize fund of €20,000 (based on 20 teams) and a first prize of €3,500.
Players will compete over 54 holes for an array of individual and team honours, with packages costing €800 per person (€2,400 per team, professionals go free) and include:
- Tournament entry
- 4 nights’ twin-share accommodation at 5* Hotel La Manga Club Príncipe Felipe – just a short putt from the newly refurbished practice facilities and golf club house
- Practice round on La Manga Club South Course
- 3 tournament rounds on La Manga Club South and West Courses
- Lunch on all 4 event days
- Welcome reception
- Prize-giving dinner
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La Manga Club International Pro-Am Entry Opens
Entries are now open for the La Manga Club International Pro-Am taking place from the 8-10th March 2014 at the La Manga Club, Spain.
The event will see 20-plus teams from across the continent – made up of one professional and three amateurs – gather at La Manga Club to contest an overall prize fund of €20,000 (based on 20 teams) and a first prize of €3,500.
Players will compete over 54 holes for an array of individual and team honours, with packages costing €800 per person (€2,400 per team, professionals go free) and include:
- Tournament entry
- 4 nights’ twin-share accommodation at 5* Hotel La Manga Club Príncipe Felipe – just a short putt from the newly refurbished practice facilities and golf club house
- Practice round on La Manga Club South Course
- 3 tournament rounds on La Manga Club South and West Courses
- Lunch on all 4 event days
- Welcome reception
- Prize-giving dinner
The Pro-Am sees the Confederation of Professional Golf renew its ties with the five-star La Manga Club in a partnership that ignites an old flame between the Association and the resort. The Club was once the continental European base of the Confederation of Professional Golf, hosting the Association’s Annual Congress and International Team Championships for many years.
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La Manga Club Reignites Confederation of Professional Golf Relationship With Pro-Am Tournament
The Confederation of Professional Golf has renewed its ties with the five-star La Manga Club in a partnership that ignites an old flame between the Association and the resort, and will take the form of a brand new Pro-Am Tournament being added to the 2014 Confederation of Professional Golf Tournament calendar.
Taking place in early March, the event will see 20-plus teams from across the continent – made up of one professional and three amateurs – gather at La Manga Club to contest an overall prize fund in excess of €20,000.
Players will compete over 54 holes for an array of individual and team honours, with packages costing €800 per person (€2,400 per team, professionals go free) including tournament entry, one practice round, a welcome cocktail reception, prize-giving gala dinner and all accommodation.
La Manga Club was once the continental European base of the Confederation of Professional Golf, hosting the Association’s Annual Congress and International Team Championships for many years, and now the pro-am tournament will be the second major international event that La Manga Club will stage early next year, with the resort also set to host the 2014 Spanish Seniors Amateur Championship in February.
Ian Randell, Chief Executive of the Confederation of Professional Golf (pictured right), said: “La Manga Club has played a significant role in the history of the Confederation of Professional Golf, hosting the Association’s Annual Congress and International Team Championship in the formative years of our association.
“We are delighted to be renewing our relationship and this tournament signifies the start of another exciting chapter in our partnership together.”
Gary Silcock, Director of Golf at La Manga Club (pictured left), said: “As Europe’s top sports and leisure destination, it was a logical step for La Manga Club to team up with the Confederation of Professional Golf again and this is fantastic news for the resort.
“This region of Spain offers the perfect climate for winter golf. The resort is very popular with professionals hosting coaching groups on overseas breaks and the pro-am will give us the chance to showcase the extensive golf and practice facilities that we have to a discerning international audience.”
Having celebrated its 40th birthday last year, La Manga Club stands as a bastion of European golf, sports and lifestyle resorts.
Among its most recent accolades, La Manga Club has been voted as the best golf resort in Spain by UK readers of Today’s Golfer magazine for the last two years, hosted the 2013 Spanish Amateur International Golf Championship and is the overseas training base of the Lawn Tennis Association until 2016.