Jack Hawksby has won The PDC Championship at East Sussex National Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa with a birdie on the 18th to seal it by one stroke.
Hawksby went into the final day three shots behind the lead with winds up to over 40mph throughout the last round. The Millbrook Golf Club man went out and shot a huge 68 (-4) to seal victory on the eighteenth knowing he was tied for the lead with Harry Goddard who was waiting on the tee.
He was elated with his win: “It feels unbelievable. I am lost for words at the moment, I don’t think it’s going to set in for another couple of days. I feel unbelievable.”
“I think the forecast said 44mph gusts towards the middle of the day so it’s 100% the most difficult conditions I’ve played in. It goes absolutely miles obviously on the order of merit and hopefully, it opens up other doors.”
The gale-force winds meant an early start to avoid the worst of conditions but that didn’t stop them from peaking and it was indicated with only five players signing for a final round under par and only nine players under par overall.
At one stage, five were tied for the lead at seven under with overnight leaders Tom Sloman and Sean Lawrie holding out alongside John Parry, Goddard, and Hawksby. Parry at the turn had opened up a two-shot lead after birdies on 5, 6, and 7 but he came unstuck on the back nine notably finding the water on the par 3 16th to dash any hopes of wrestling back into contention. Sloman meanwhile went out in 37 to be one over at the turn and he was always up against it on the arguably trickier back nine.
Lawrie had led from the get-go this week but found himself back to five under after three holes and two bogies. That momentum killer could’ve spelled the end of Lawrie’s title hopes but two birdies at 7 and 9 left him back at seven under, going to the tenth. The Scotsman eventually settling for his second top-five finish of the season at tied fourth.
It came down to Goddard (Trinifold Sports) on 18 to force a playoff with Hawksby knowing that his counterpart had just made a birdie. Goddard was already one under for the day looking at the 18th fairway and he could only make par meaning he came just short of eight under, signing for a 71.
Josh Hilleard (Golfing4Life) finished on his own in sixth at two under after a final day 73 (+1) with Jack South (Tippity Green GC /Taymar Homes), Chris Lloyd (Hanbury Manor), Jack Doherty (Rowallan Castle Golf Club) all in a tie for seventh.
Darren Walkley (Wonderful Brands), Nick Watson (Stoke Rochford Golf Club) and Matthew Nixon (Sandiway Golf Club) were all in a tie for tenth.
The result sees Hawksby move 57 places in the Race to Alcanada standings and into the Top 5 whilst Parry’s performance means he moves top ahead of Will Enefer.
