Putter returns as sensational Zara secures tournament record
A crop of top male and female players were tested at the club's prestigious Pleasington Putter and the Pleasington Antlers events, the first time they have been held since it's £1 million restoration was completed.
Advertisement
The historic contests were held on July 2 and 6, respectively, testing top amateurs across 36 holes in one day on the heathland layout.
Truimphing in the Pleasington Putter, with a nine-under score of 139 was Zara Ali, who is a member at Cookridge Hall GC in Leeds, a new tournament record, beating the previous best of 141 which had stood since 2006.
Pleasington Golf Club (Image: Landmark Media) She shot an impressive seven-under in her opening round and closed out with an assured two-under second round to win the Putter, which dates back to 1982 and features top female amateur talent.
The men's event saw Greg Holmes, of Royal Birkdale GC, emerge the victor with a two-under score of 140.
Advertisement
After a tricky opening round left him three-over-par, a sublime five-under 66 in the afternoon saw Mr Holmes take the title back to the West Lancashire coast.
Mark Bleasdale, general manager of Pleasington Golf Club, said: 'We are incredibly proud to see the Pleasington Putter and Antlers continue to attract outstanding fields and showcase the very best of amateur golf.
'After the reopening of our newly renovated course earlier this year, the course has never looked better.
'We look forward to welcoming more talented players next year as these tournaments go from strength to strength, putting Pleasington Golf Club on the map as a leading destination for golfers across the UK.'
Advertisement
This winter saw the completion of the club's Good2Great project, restoring the course back to its heathland glory.
Over five years, every hole has been reshaped to restore the original heathland layout, which has included changes to bunkers and the removal of thousands of trees.
Next year's Antlers and Putter events will take place on July 4 and July 8, 2026, respectively.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
a minute ago
- New York Times
Lottie Woad wins Scottish Open, her first LPGA event as a member
It's officially Lottie Woad Summer on the LPGA. The 21-year-old Englishwoman won the Scottish Open on Sunday, becoming the first person to win her initial LPGA event as a member since 2018. It comes on the heels of her Irish Open win as an amateur earlier this month and a tie for third-place at the Evian Championship. Those two results, on the Ladies European Tour and in the fourth major of the season, respectively, earned the 2024 Augusta National Women's Amateur winner her LPGA card. Advertisement She is now a major contender for the AIG Women's Open next week at Royal Porthcawl in Wales. Woad came into Sunday's final round at Dundonald Links with a two-shot lead and fired a pair of birdies on the front nine, but Hyo Joo Kim was 5 under through 11 holes to tie Woad at 19-under-par. Woad answered with birdies on holes Nos. 13 and 14, and watched as Kim bogeyed back-to-back holes to fall off the pace. Woad finished her final-round 68 with a birdie on No. 18. She shot 67-65-67-68 over four days, playing almost flawless golf. She had at least five birdies in each of her rounds, and had three total bogeys (and no doubles) during the week. She's from Farnham in Surrey, and enrolled at Florida State in 2022. Her breakout came two years later, with the ANWA win, NCAA runner-up finish and a top-10/low amateur finish at the Women's Open. Jin Young Ko was the last LPGA pro to earn a win in her first start as a member. Rose Zhang won the 2023 Mizuho Americas Open in her first event after turning professional, but she did not yet have her tour card. The Scottish Open was originally scheduled to be streaming only in the United States on NBC Sports, but the LPGA worked with NBC to get two hours of the final round broadcast on CNBC.
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
American Vermette victorious at Hardline Wales finals day
American Asa Vermette has won the 2025 Red Bull Hardline Wales event in Machynlleth. Vermette, who came second at Hardline Tasmania earlier this year, was competing in the Welsh event for the first time. The 18-year-old becomes the youngest rider to win the Welsh competition. The Junior World Champion clocked a time of 2:24.477, improving on his qualifying time by 4.586 seconds. "It's insane, I did exactly what I wanted to do all week," said Vermette. Shrewsbury's Charlie Hatton finished second following a stellar World Cup season, just 1.681 seconds behind the winner. Hatton said: "I'm absolutely over the moon to be honest. "The emotions here are so high. I don't think I've ever had such an adrenaline spike after finishing a ride. "A podium at Hardline is always a good Sunday." Last year's champion Ronan Dunne finished in third place despite sustaining a puncture in the top section of the seeding run. "After winning Hardline last year, I definitely wanted to do it again, but it was nice to come away with a podium," said Dunne. "Hats off to Charlie and Asa, they both ripped it." Course co-creator and Hardline pioneer Gee Atherton finished in the top 10, taking ninth place over Chilean Felipe Agurto. The 40-year-old becomes the oldest competitor in the competition's history. And mountain bike internet sensation Matt Jones had difficultly in his run, but managed to make it down the mountain and finish the course. Jones was one of the only riders in attendance who does not race World Cups regularly. He told BBC Sport Wales: "I just about completed it, I ended up crashing twice in one run, which honestly just shows how gnarly it was. "I'm particularly unfit compared to these guys who are halfway through a World Cup season, but I made it happen." Ferguson makes Hardline Wales history Scottish rider Louise Ferguson made history on Saturday by becoming the first female rider to qualify for Sunday's final of Hardline Wales. In the event's 11 years, a female rider has never completed the course in full - mainly due to the scale of the jumps and challenging terrain. On Sunday she then became the first woman to do a full finals run and complete the course. The 29-year-old won Rider of the Week, which is given to athletes who have been the most supportive and helpful on the course throughout the week of practice. "I'm just so buzzing, I love downhill but Hardline is next level," Ferguson told BBC Sport Wales. "I feel really proud, just to put a run together." Welsh-based rider Kaos Seagrave completed his run, making it to the bottom despite a crash off the final jump. Although Seagrave crossed the finishing line, he was disqualified after riding outside the course parameters during the top section of his run. "I pulled a bit off the jump," said Seagrave. "As soon as I pulled I knew it was going to go wrong. "I got disqualified at the top, but still completed the run so I'm stoked."
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Lottie Woad fires final-round 68 to claim victory on her professional debut
Lottie Woad claimed her first professional victory on debut as she won the Women's Scottish Open title by three shots. The 21-year-old former world number one amateur from Surrey finished with a final round score of 68 after four days of competition at Dundonald Links. It was Woad's first victory since turning professional earlier in July. She entered the final round with a two-stroke lead and made birdies on the second, third, 13th and 14th before hitting a bogey on the 16th. Woad made par on the 17th before a pinpoint approach set up a birdie on the 18th to wrap up the title.
