Fine finish helps Lee to narrow win

Royal Cromer's Lee Patterson produced a sparkling finish to snatch victory in the latest Norfolk PGA pro-am at Royal Norwich.

Patterson was three-under for the last five holes of the round and came in at the end of the field with a two-under 70, pipping Ian Ellis (Costessey Park) by a stroke. Thetford's Gary Kitley was a further shot back.

'I was expecting someone to be a little lower but it was tricky, with a breeze and dry, bouncing conditions,' said Patterson. 'On a day like that you are going to have some bad bounces and drop shots, but when you three-putt a couple of greens, as I did, you feel you have thrown shots away.'

Patterson got off to a slow start, with a bogey on the fourth, where his drive found a gorse bush. He birdied the eighth, with an excellent second into the difficult green, but three-putted both the seventh and the 10th — par fives, which he reached in two. He went back to one-over with a bogey on the par three 12th, where the cross-wind proved testing, and only parred the 13th, a driveable par four.

'My round was late sparking into life,' said Patterson, who produced consecutive birdies on 15, 16 and 17. With the course playing short, he reached the 15th green with two irons and sank a four-footer, drove level with the front of the green on the 387-yard 16th and set up a birdie on the long 17th with a drive and five iron into the green.

'It was a good day,' said Patterson, whose win moves him up to fourth in the Dingles Toyota order of merit.

After five events, it is Ian Ellis of Costessey Park who tops the table and could prevent Neil Lythgoe (Royal Norwich) from achieving his fourth consecutive win. Ellis last won this tittle in 2007.

Results

Professionals: 70 Lee Patterson (Royal Cromer), 71 Ian Ellis (Costessey Park), 72 Gary Kitley (Thetford), 73 Kyle Kelsall (Carswell), 74 Caroline Grady (Dunston Hall). Teams: 132 (12-under) Mike Jubb (Sheringham) with John Little, Josh Hall and Mark Simmonds; 133 Kyle Kelsall with Phil Jonas, Graham Baker and Chrissie Kemsley; 134 Jason Groat (Denver) with Nigel Wagg, Mark Powell and Alison Bellars; 135 Simon Youd (Royal Norwich) with Shaun Terrington, Roger Woods and John Wheeler. Longest drive: Ed Doe. Nearest the pin: 1st Adam Leweiner; 9th Dave Fitchett; 12th (professionals) Kyle Kelsall.

Norfolk PGA Dingles Toyota order of merit – leading placings after five events: Ian Ellis (Costessey Park) 27pts, Mike Jubb (Sheringham) 24�, Gary Potter (Gt Yarmouth & Caister) 16�, Lee Patterson (Royal Cromer) 15, Neil Lythgoe (Royal Norwich) 14�. Oliver Barnes (Dunston Hall) 12, Jason Groat (Denver) 10.