European Senior Tour winner Mark Mouland finished at the top of the scoreboard today as the Professional competition in the Farmfoods British Par 3 Championship came to its conclusion. The first double winner of the tournament (also won in 2008), Mouland won with a score of -11, with 28 strokes out and only 25 on the back nine, scoring three Birdies. He finished ahead of Richard O'Hanlon on -5 and Mike Harwood on -4.
Mark Mouland – who broke the Cromwell course record yesterday with a round of -10 – is the son of Sid Mouland, who helped Nailcote Hall owner Rick Cressman to design the course and bring the Championship to this impressive venue. Mouland receives a cheque for €50,000 as the Championship prize fund was increased to €150,000 earlier in the year.
Before accepting his award from tournament host Tony Jacklin CBE, Mark said:
“It went right down to the wire, the gap between us was only two shots with three holes to play but I thought I might just do it when I hit the green on the 17th”.
Richard had hit it long and he dropped three shots while I picked up one so that made the difference.
But the score doesn’t reflect how close it was, it was really neck and neck for most of the round and it’s that excitement, that unpredictability that keeps us coming back for more.”
Other final scores among the top players taking part this year include Peter Baker on -3 and Eagle Tour qualifier Jason Timmis, Paul Broadhurst and Philip Golding all on -2.
Elsewhere, in a nail-biting finish to the Super Seniors competition, Carl Mason won for the fourth year in a row, finishing on +2 after sinking a hole-in-one in Wednesday’s first round taking home a cheque for €5,000. Mason beat Costantino Rocca into second place on +4 despite the Italian also managing a hole-in-one with his first shot of the day, immediately followed by a Birdie. In third place was D J Russell with a round of +5.
In the Norma C Herd Silver Salver competition, Ricky Sturrock and Strictly Come Dancing favourite James Jordan won a Silver Salver each, both finishing on +1, well ahead of third place Steve Wright on +7.
In the team competition, Mike Harwood & Nigel Mansell/Peter Odemwingie (Mansell played the 1st round, Odemwingie played the 2nd round) took the title ahead of Mark Mouland and his partner Ian Halliwell, beating them on the back nine in a tight battle that saw both teams finish on -12, just ahead of Woosnam & Scott on -11.
On Friday, the final day of the Farmfoods British Par 3 Championship, the Celeb-Am competition will conclude with major professionals and celebrities as Tony Jacklin CBE, Derek Redmond, Ron Atkinson, Alan McInally, Peter Withe, Tommy Fleetwood, William Roache MBE, Len Goodman, Costantino Rocca, James Jordan, Kenny Burns, Dominic Holland, Dean Saunders, Gordon Strachan OBE, Neil Back MBE, Lee Hendrie, Brian McFadden and Max Rushden.
The evening will end with a Gala Dinner with entertainment provided by The Overtures who cover songs by such artists as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Simon & Garfunkel and more. There will also be a major charity auction to raise vital funds for Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People.
The very latest scores and live updates for the Farmfoods British Par 3 Championship can be found on www.britishpar3.com and on Twitter with @BritishPar3.