Bawburgh’s Mark Spooner praised after beating Ian Ellis in Norfolk PGA matchplay final
Norfolk PFA matchplay champion Mark Spooner (left) and runner-up Ian Ellis. - Credit: Archant
Ian Ellis shrugged off a rare setback as he prepares for another big challenge in what has been an exciting season.
The Great Yarmouth and Caister professional was beaten 4&3 by Bawburgh's Mark Spooner in the final of Norfolk PGA's match play competition – and had no complaints about the outcome afterwards.
'Fair play to Mark. He played really well and deserved to win,' said Ellis. 'I wasn't at my best but Mark went out there and showed what a good golfer he is and congratulations to him.'
The final at Eaton was tight early on but once Spooner moved ahead there was no stopping him and he eventually saw out the match at the 15th.
Ellis is playing in a couple more local events before jetting out to Spain to compete in the second stage of the European Tour School's qualifying competition, which gets under way on November 4.He earned his spot by performing well in the preliminary competition at Frilford Heath, Oxfordshire, where he could afford a 77 in the final round after solid earlier efforts of 69 70 and 71.
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Ellis has already had an excellent campaign that has seen him qualify again for the national PGA play-offs in Turkey, and he is determined to give a good account of himself at Tour School.
'The competition will be tough, I know that, but if I play as well as I can there is no reason why I can't qualify for the final stage,' he said. 'It's an exciting challenge and I am really looking forward to it.'
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Norfolk amateur Luke Johnson will also be competing in Spain after finishing in a tie for fourth position in the same qualifying competition as Ellis.
The King's Lynn player finished seven under par at Frilford Heath after rounds of 69 71 72 and 69.
