North East Round-up: Whiteoak leads Brabazon qualifiers

Yorkshire’s Will Whiteoak topped a tightly packed leaderboard at Clitheroe to lead 30 qualifiers for the Brabazon Trophy.

The 21-year-old from Shipley shot three-under par 68 to win the northern qualifying event and confirm his place in the Brabazon, which will be played at Notts Golf Club (Hollinwell) from June 24-27.

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“It was a good effort and it’s good to get it over and to be 100 per cent through to Hollinwell,” said Whiteoak, who won the North of England Youths’ title last year and the Welsh Youths’ in 2013.

‘It’s good to get it over and to be 100 per cent through to Hollinwell’ Whiteoak, who has played in the Brabazon twice before, is looking forward to a return to Hollinwell where he reached the last 16 in the British boys’ championship of 2012, before being beaten by the eventual winner, Matt Fitzpatrick.

Of his golf on the final day of qualifying, Whiteoak said: “I wasn’t in any trouble off the tee and I hit decent approach shots, so all my birdie putts were pretty close.”

Among his best approach shots was a sand iron on the 16th, which finished within a foot of the hole.

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Whiteoak’s closest challengers in qualifying for the event, which is supported by Your Golf Travel, were a group of three players on 69. They were Ian Kenwright (Heydock Park), Oliver Carr (Heswall) and Ben Brewster (Bawtry).

Dominic Barnes, from Caldy, also beat par with one-under 70 and the cut fell at plus-three 74.

Westwood opens PGA Golf Academy at Close House

Close House has announced the opening of a PGA Golf Academy by European Tour professional Lee Westwood.

The opening coincided with the venue’s fifth annual Have a Heart charity golf event, which this year raised in excess of £350,000 for the Children’s Heart Unit Fund.

Chief operating officer Robert Maxfield said: “The new PGA Academy is a fantastic addition to the family of PGA branded golf academies and courses around the world, including the PGA’s headquarters at The Belfry and the PGA Centenary Course at Gleneagles.

“The academy reinforces the relationship between The PGA and Close House, whose vision under Graham Wylie’s leadership is to become one of the finest golf facilities in the UK.”

Phoenix hosting fund-raiser in memory of rifleman’s charity

A fund-raising day is taking place at Phoenix in Rotherham in aid of an armed forces charity.

Club captain Glynn Perry has organised the event on June 25 to raise funds for the Rifles Care for Casualties.

Perry said he chose the charity after talking to the club’s head groundsman, who is a former armed serviceman, and will see a team from the club take on The Rifles Golf Society.

Although the event is in aid of charity, it is also in memory of Lt Col Bob Pickford and golfers will be playing for the bugle which bears his name.

For more information about the Care for Casualties charity, click here.