Two-time major champion, John Daly, capitalised on his second round lead by carding a level-par 72 at Gloria Hotels & Resorts’ New Course in Turkey to win the 2014 Beko Classic with a total of -15 (201), his first Professional win in ten years that comes in the same week as he proposed to long-time girlfriend, Anna Cladakis.
The American superstar Professional took the honours in the 13th Confederation of Professional Golf-Sanctioned edition of the event and, after donating his $8,000 winner’s cheque to local charities, he perhaps gained more from the end of season confidence boost that comes from a victory – especially with his first since the Buick Invitational playoff win at Torrey Pines, USA, in 2004:
“It feels great to win – as Professional we try to build on confidence so any time you win anything it boosts it,” explained Daly. “It’s pretty much my last tournament of the year so I can hopefully go into 2015 with some extra confidence.”
A first round 66 on the New Course followed up by a 63 in Round 2 on the Old Course set the Californian-born Open Championship winner on course for his overall win, but it wasn’t strictly the gameplan to play so conservatively in the final round:
“I favour the Old Course…it suits my game because there’s a lot more full shots into the holes and it just sets up better for me. Today I hit it pretty good, but five of the fairways I hit I didn’t have a shot to the green…I played ok but missed a lot of opportunities too.
“It’s been great to be in Turkey – not just for me but for my whole family…this is a great place to come…it reminds me of Palm Springs so much with the beautiful weather here.”
Daly’s final round started well with birdies at two, five and nine, along with a bogey at the third to go out in two-under. But his back nine was not befitting of the rest of the weeks’ play as he made four bogeys in a row to drop to -13. However, a birdie at 15 took him back into a tie for first, and a crucial two-putt birdie after a pin-high second on the 18th edged him one shot ahead to claim the title.
Just that one shot behind was 2013 Beko Classic Champion, Robert Coles (PGA of Great Britain & Ireland), who’s three excellent 60s rounds – 68, 67, 67 – enabled him to finish at -14 (202), tantalizingly close to a hat-trick of Beko Classic wins.
Coles’ final round 67 (-5) was more up and down than his previous ventures with eight birdies and three bogeys, but the birdies that came at 16 and 18 were good enough to secure the runner-up spot.
First round leader, Chris Gane (PGA of Great Britain & Ireland), along with former Ryder Cup Professional and also a member of the PGA of Great Britain & Ireland, Paul Broadhurst, shared third place with totals of -13 (203).
Broadhurst made the most ground on the final day with a closing five-under 67 to move up the rankings, but it was more of a case of ‘what if’ for Gane as a lost second in the New course’s 18th hole lake created a bogey that could otherwise have allowed him to contend for the title.
The Team Pro-Am competition culminated with a victory from the home-named team ‘Gloria’ made up of amateurs, Fahir Telli, Dr. Nurettin Katiranci, and Hatice Cetindere. Their overall total was assisted with the help of Professionals Joakim Rask, David Griffiths and Robert Coles across the three rounds, ending up with 260 points (-44).
Two teams ended on 254 points (-38) but taking second place on count-back was the team of H2S made up of Hazim Evrengil, Hale Berdan, and Halit Berdan, assisted by Professionals Liam Bond, Garrick Porteous, and Klas Eriksson.
Then taking the third place position having lost the count-back were GOLFIST with Esra Demirsoy, Ian Randell and Angus Mackenzie, joined by Robert Coles, Adam Gee and Chris Gane.
For full final Individual Professional and Team Pro-Am scores visit: http://eur.pe/1I5Wudt .
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For more information visit the Tournament Hub Page, follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter and search the hashtag ‘#BekoClassic’, and like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.
To find out more about Beko visit www.Beko.com and for more information on Gloria Golf Resort visit www.gloria.com.tr.
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