Irishman Sean O’Donoghue (Mount Wolseley Golf Resort) has risen to the challenge of the tough Sherwood Forest course in the sweltering heat to lead the 2023 PGA Professional Championship.
A strong field, which included former DP World Tour players, PGA Cup stars and several former winners, all starred in a pulsating opening round at the Nottinghamshire venue as they competed for one of The PGA’s most sought-after titles.
Voted England Golf’s Tournament Venue of the Year for 2023, Sherwood Forest provided a tough challenge on day one, and Stuart Betteridge, the venue’s Head PGA Professional, advised on the biggest challenges for the players this week. He said: “This course is beautiful, it’s a real test - it’s well-known for superb fast greens all year round - the weather has been the perfect recipe for the thick rough, so the players have got a challenge on their hands for sure.
“The course is 6,835 yards, so it’s not the longest course and with the firm, fast fairways, they’re going to have to do some thinking on the tee - there’s a few holes where driver isn’t the right club, so it needs some careful planning. The first eight holes are the scoring holes - if they can get it under par on the first eight holes and then hang on round the few tough holes on the back nine, then you’ve got a chance at doing well.”
O’Donoghue has risen to the challenge of the course on day one with a final score of -4 after eagling the par-5 16th. The 31-year-old qualified for the tournament by winning the PGA Professional Championship’s Irish Qualifier at Co. Louth, and seems to be enjoying the course at Sherwood Forest.
“It’s a big event - as PGA Pros we don’t get to play in many 4-rounders, so it’s one of the biggest ones out here,” said O’Donoghue. “I got off to a pretty good start, hitting a lot of solid shots early on and just kept it steady then throughout the round because the wind picked up and it was tricky coming in.”
With temperatures soaring at Sherwood Forest, the course is playing very firm and creating a real test for the players. O’Donoghue continued: “It’s very challenging with the bounces you can get - you can get some good breaks and some bad breaks - they kind of even out throughout the day but greens are rolling pure and it’s a fantastic course for a tournament like this.
“You have to have all the shots out here - sometimes you’re dropping it short, sometimes you’re landing it on the green, and you have to hit good drives and good irons off the tee - you really have to have all the shots round here.”
A number of players made a charge throughout the day, one of those being Paul Hendriksen (Ivybridge Golf Club - PICTURED), with a string of birdies at holes 5, 7, 13, 14 and 16, but these were bookended by bogeys at the 1st and 17th, leaving Hendriksen one behind at -3.
Glen Portelli (Old Fold Manor Golf Club) joined Hendriksen on -3 after a strong back nine with an eagle at the par-4 12th and back-to-back birdies on holes 15 and 16, whilst James Ruebotham (Welwyn Garden City Golf Club) hit the ground running scoring 5-under-par through 7, but bogeys on holes 10 and 16 saw him finish with a final score of 3-under-par.
Defending champion Matthew Cort (Beedles Lake Golf Club) played alongside PGA Play-Offs champion, Craig Lee, and both finished with a final score of -1, which puts them tied-10th going into the second round.
