Foxhills-based David Callaway is the new Sun Mountain PGA in Surrey Masters champion, after shooting a five-under-par 67 around the Purple layout of the recently re-furbished Farleigh.
Pipped to Callaway’s victor’s spoils by one shot was Purley Downs’ Matthew Rice. whose 68 earned him second place, while West Hill’s David Osborn was third on three-under-par.
Callaway’s victory at Farleigh, the new home of the tournament, was all the more appropriate as the club to which he’s attached, Foxhills, is the sister club to Farleigh. Planned as a 36-hole event, the afternoon round was cancelled due to lightning and hail storms, so Callaway’s morning 67 was enough to claim the title.
Nigel Freemantle, the driving force behind the success of Brand Fusion and the Sun Mountain and SuperStroke brands, was delighted with the winning performances, commenting: “The quality of the golf around the challenging Farleigh course and conditions was terrific, and it was a wonderful score by David.”
Freemantle continued: “Making Farleigh the new home of The Sun Mountain PGA in Surrey Masters was a great idea, and I’m already looking forward to seeing what these great golfers can do round here next year.”
Callaway birdied the first two opening holes for a fast start, and a bogey at the eighth was repaired with a birdie on the ninth. Callaway then blitzed his way through the 12th, 13th and 14th with birdies to reach five-under-par. Despite a dropped shot on the 17th Callaway dug deep and birdied what turned out to be his last hole, the 18th.
Three-under-par at the turn, Rice eagled the 12th and birdied the 14th to put him in front, but bogeys on the 15th and 16th left him with a four-under-par 68 for second spot.
Thanks to the support of Brand Fusion and Sun Mountain, and the funds raised at The PGA in Surrey Dinner and Spring Pro-Am in March, there was an attractive prize fund of £4,000 for the event.