Holly's a One-Day wonder

SHEFFIELD professional Holly Morgan sealed her meteoric dominance of the Women’s PGA One-Day Series at Salisbury and South Wilts Golf Club by winning the 2019 Order of Merit – but only just.

The margin separating the PGA Assistant, from Hallamshire Golf Club, and Marie Martindale, an experienced campaigner from Hampstead Golf Club, was the narrowest possible – half-a-point.

However, the 22-year-old’s accumulation of sufficient points to top the Order of Merit from playing in the last three of the seven-event series is testament to the quality of her golf.

Likewise her achievement in posting sub-par scores in all three.

Two of those resulted in victory – at Kedleston Park and Chestfield Golf Clubs – but her hopes of completing a hat-trick of wins were dashed at Salisbury and South Wilts.

Martindale, who won the first event in this year’s series at Little Aston, saw to that by opening with an eagle en route to posting a five-under-par round of 68 to finish three shots clear of Morgan.

In doing so, she gatecrashed the anticipated head-to-head showdown between Ormskirk Golf Club’s Ali Gray and Morgan, who had shared pole position in the Order of Merit at the start of play.

Gray, a member of the team that will represent Great Britain & Ireland in the inaugural Women’s PGA Cup in Texas in October, was plagued with an unresponsive putter and finished third in the Order of Merit.

Morgan was also less than enamoured with her putting and said: “I could have putted a bit better – I hit the ball well, but the putts didn’t drop.” Another imponderable is whether her margin of victory in the Order of Merit would have been more comfortable had she played in more events.

“The dates of the early ones didn’t fall well for me,” explained Morgan, who spent two years on a golf scholarship in Chattanooga, Tennessee, before embarking on her PGA training.

“But I’m glad I started playing when I did. I’m surprised I’ve done so well, but I’ve enjoyed my golf and that’s helped me play better.”

All of which has rekindled her appetite for tournament golf.

“I loved it in America and, initially, the plan when I came back was to coach, but because I’ve had a quite a good year I’d like to have the option to play.”

To that end Hallamshire, the club where PGA Master Professionals and renowned coaches Pete Cowen and the late John Jacobs began their careers and Matt Fitzpatrick is a member, is fully supportive.

“They’re encouraging me to do that. It’s a great golf club and very successful so I’m following in some famous footsteps.”