BARBADOS born golfer Roger Beale gave Barbados golf a lift when he beat a field of 100 players in the PGA Club Professional Championship Of Canada, 2011, at the PGA Golf Club, Ryder Course, Port St. Lucie, Florida, in the United States of America.
The tournament was played from November 20-23, but local golfers will remember when Beale represented Barbados in the 2006 World Cup Of Golf, held at the Sandy Lane Course here in Barbados.
After spending almost ten years working in the Ottawa Zone at the Masters Golf Club and Camelot Golf & Country Club, he returned to Barbados seven months ago to take up the post of Director of Golf at Royal Westmoreland.
The 38-year-old Beale, along with three others started the final round of of the Titleist & FootJoy PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada, trailing the leader Danny King by one shot, after returning a seven under par first round, and two under par second round.
Beale started his move on the back nine where he fired in a Birdie at 10, which was a real confidence booster that settled any nerves that might have been there, Coming into the final hole he hit a crisp 4 iron from 190 yards out to within three feet of the hole, and calmly walked up and knocked it in the hole. During the round he had poured in 7 Birdies to finish at the top of the leader-board, and take the US$12 000 first prize and Trophy.
Over the three days he returned 64, 70, and 67 for a gross 202, to win from Scott Allred, who is from Elbow Springs Golf Club and Graham Gunn, from Orleans Golf Academy, who finished two strokes back on 204. Danny King of Performance Academy at Magna, who started the final round with a one stroke lead finished fourth on 206.
Beale told The Barbados Advocate, that playing in 2006 with the PGA Tour Professionals was very special, but winning this tournament was very satisfying and even more special.
The win moves Beale up from 125 on the PGA of Canada Players Ranking to inside the top 25. (CG)
