Friendly words of advice put Shacklady on track for Lancs title

Sep 18 2007 by David Birtill, Liverpool Daily Post

DAVID SHACKLADY owed a double debt of gratitude to his pal Simon Edwards after capturing the Lancashire PGA Championship for the second time in four years at Morecambe.

“He gave me a lesson before the last round of the Lakes Classic and I went on to win that and his advice stuck with me,” said the 40-year-old Mossock Hall attached professional, who qualified for the Open at Carnoustie earlier this year.

“But I should have won more comfortably because I putted atrociously,” admitted Shacklady, from Ormskirk, who carded 68 and 64, two-under-par in total, to finish two clear of his biggest rival Barry Taylor.

The Houghwood assistant won the James Brearley Lancashire Open at Blackpool North Shore last month.

Haigh Hall’s Craig Corrigan led after a first round 64 but a closing 71 left him in a share of third place with Sean Owen, from Bolton Old Links.

Winner of the Seniors’ Championship was Formby Hall’s Bill Fletcher, who posted 72 and 75.

DETAILS: 132 David Shacklady (Mossock Hall) 68,64; 134 Barry Taylor (Houghwood) 68,66; 135 Sean Owen (Bolton Old Links) 67,68, Craig Corrigan (Haigh Hall) 64,71; 136 Scott Astin (Hesketh) 66,70, David Thwaites (Brookdale) 66,70, Joe Senior (Heysham) 71,65. Senior: 147 Bill Fletcher (Formby Hall).

* GRAHAM COX retained the Harold Lees Trophy in the PGA North Region Assistants’ Tournament at Dore and Totley when he added 69 to his opening 68 for a seven-under-par total.

The 29-year-old teaching professional at Warrington, beaten in a play-off in the MEN Manchester Open at Mottram Hall last month, finished two shots ahead of unattached Adam Powell, who is based at Tarporley.

And Astbury’s Daniel Hewitt made it a clean sweep by Cheshire PGA players by taking third place, three strokes off the pace.

Cox, who attributes his consistent form this season to his coach Adrian Fryer at Warrington Drivetime, hopes to make it third time lucky at European Tour School this autumn.

He erred only twice over two days with a bogey at the short fifth in the first round and another at the 15th in the second but he also marked down a total of nine birdies.

DETAILS: 137 Graham Cox (Warrington) 68,69; 139 Adam Powell (unatt) 67,72; 140 Daniel Hewitt (Astbury) 68,72; 144 Nikki Hodkin (Abbeydale) 72,72; 145 Daniel Stanley (Tankersley Park) 73,72, Andrew Rossington (Peter Cowen Golf Academy) 72,73, Robert Bundy (Spaldington Golf Centre) 71,74, Robin Carroll (Bromborough) 68,77

* SWINTON Park’s David Smith clipped a shot off the Helsby course record with six-under-par 66 in the Northern Golf Players’ Tour fixture.

And it could have been even lower.

“I missed a three footer on the last and four other realistic chances,” he said.

But the 34-year-old happily settled for a double pay day because he also won the Sue Wright Memorial Trophy as leading assistant professional.

Smith produced more of the sparkling form that has rocketed him to the top of the PGA North Region Order of Merit this season, winning the MEN Manchester Open, then finishing runner-up in the £30,000 Rock Tournament in the space of 10 days last month.

He eagled the 535-yard fourth then rolled in three birdies in a row from the 11th and added another at the 17th.

Three shots adrift in second place was Houghwood’s in-form Barry Taylor.

DETAILS: 64 David Smith (Swinton Park); 67 Barry Taylor (Houghwood), 68 Andy Baguley (Leigh), John Fisher (Huyton & Prescot), Danny Haughian (Adlington Golf Centre), David Green (Dukinfield), Matthew Davies (Rhuddlan).

* MARK BRADLEY warmed up for his defence of the PGA North Region Championship later this month when he won his second event in less than two weeks on the Northern Golf Players’ Tour.

And the Chorley professional achieved it in style with a dazzling nine-under-par 63 at Heron’s Reach.

Bradley, 33, handed in a card showing two eagles and five birdies and not a bogey in sight as he finished three shots clear of James Brearley Lancashire Open champion Barry Taylor, from Houghwood.

His performance, which followed his victory at Marriott Worlsey Park, will give his confidence a timely boost for the region’s championship at Northumberland club Burgham Park on September 27-29.

LEADING SCORES: 63 Mark Bradley (Chorley); 66 Barry Taylor (Houghwood), 68 David Shacklady (Mossock Hall), Martin O’Connor (Carden Park); 70 Nick Sargent (Eastham Lodge), Joe Senior (Heysham), Jeff Mathews (Samlesbury Golf Centre), Adam Powell (unatt), Rob Henderson (Chorley).

* LEE Harpin overcame a lack of match practice to win the Cheshire and North Wales Open at Chirk.

The 33-year-old assistant at North Wales Golf Club has restricted his playing schedule this season mainly through a shortage of funds and having a young family to support.

But he still finished a shot in front of Warrington’s Graham Cox, fellow Welshman Simon Edwards from Wrexham club Clays, and in-form Dukinfield professional David Green.

“I got it round by chipping and putting well,” said Harpin, who joined the paid ranks in 2004 after twice being selected for the Walker Cup squad and helping Wales to win the 2002 Home Internationals for the first time in 70 years.

He posted 73 and 71 for a level par total but thought he’d blown his chance when he bogeyed the final hole in the second round.

“Luckily it did not cost me anything,” said Harpin, who also spends a couple of days a week teaching at Portmaddoc Driving Range with his coach Chris Strickett. “I still hope to play more regularly but it’s a matter of priorities although I’m working hard to reshape my swing with Chris.”

Harpin, who won the Northern Golf Assistants’ Matchplay Championship last year, could not afford to enter the European Tour School qualifier.

Consolation, however, is an all-expenses paid trip to play in a pro-am in Switzerland.

DETAILS: 144 Lee Harpin (North Wales) 73,71; 145 Simon Edwards (Clays) 74,71, David Green (Dukinfield) 73,72, Graham Cox (Warrington) 73,72; 147 Matthew Ellis (GPS) 71,76; 148 Chris Hodges (Chirk) 71,77, Alex Rowland (Hawarden) 76,72, Nick Sargent (Eastham Lodge) 74,74