Welshpool golfer Lee Rooke dramatically won the PGA Welsh Championships for the second time in his career at Aberdovey today – winning a nail-biting play-off at the ninth attempt and the £1,500 prize money after sharing the lead with Toby Hunt of St Mellons GC.
Rooke’s attempt to catch Hunt were hampered when play was halted by a thunderstorm on the West Wales coast this afternoon. Hunt had carded a brilliant seven under 64 to add to his 72 of the previous day.
But Rooke was not to be outdone and his rounds of 70 and a brilliant 66 saw the two golfers finish neck and neck at the top of the leaderboard - Rooke birdying the 18th with a stunning 15 footer.
Both players parred the first sudden death play-off hole with fours on the 18th and then both bogied with fives at the second attempt and then repeated with pars at attempt three. The pair both then parred the first before returning to the 18th where both scored four again, followed by fours at the first and second and threes at the third.
With light fading the players moved to the 16th where Rooke parred again only for Hunt to finish with a bogey.
Rooke last won the event in 2013 at Royal St David’s Golf Club at Harlech, the club he is now attached to.