Young wins Jessie May World Snooker Golf Championship

Mark Young beat Ireland’s Brendan McCarroll in a one-hole playoff to win the HotelPlanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour’s Jessie May World Snooker Golf Championship at Clevedon Golf Club, Somerset.

Young (Longridge Golf Club) carded rounds of 67, 72 and 66 to force a playoff with McCarroll (West Cliffs Golf Links) on the west coast.

McCarroll looked to be bringing home his first EuroPro Tour title with three holes left to play, but a three-shot cushion soon evaporated in the Somerset sunshine with a double bogey on the 16th followed by a bogey on the 17th.

Young, who had put his clubs away for the day, returned to the 18th tee in a bid to win his first title of the season. The title was all but sealed after McCarroll found himself chipping short from the green-side bunker, leaving Young a small tap in to win £10,000 and the coveted trophy.

Speaking on his maiden win, Young said: “I’m delighted with the win. It’s one that I feel is long overdue, I’ve been close a couple of times this year. I’ve not been in that situation since The Carrick a couple of years ago. It’s never nice to lose a playoff, I know what that is like so I’m over the moon to get it done.”

Young’s final round started off at a ferocious pace, finding himself six-under par through nine holes, and despite slowing up through the back nine he was confident in his game.

He said: “I knew I had to get off to a quick start which I did; my front nine put my name in the hat for the tournament. A couple of errant tee shots on the back nine cost me a few shots but when I saw my name up on the leaderboard I really didn’t expect it.”

Young in name and also in professional golfing experience, turning pro at 33 years old in 2014, Mark Young hasn’t taken the conventional route to professional golf. He said: “I played a bit of football in my twenties, but as I got older I got some backing from some members at my local golf club, hopefully now they see it is bearing some fruit. I’ve had some great sponsors over the years, and hopefully they will stick with me a few more.”

The win moves Young to the top of the Order of Merit, and over £1,000 clear of his nearest rival Chris Gane. Brendan McCarroll’s best finish this season moves him 17 spots up to seventh on the list.

As well as receiving £10,000, Young also received a Motocaddy S1 Electric Trolley, with features including a soft-touch ergonomic handle; low profile, quick-release wheels, a streamlined battery tray and super-fast QUIKFOLD assembly mechanism.

Highlights of the Jessie May World Snooker Golf Championship will air on Sky Sports Golf on July 3rd. The PGA EuroPro Tour continues with The Cumberwell Park Championship 27-29 June.

Motocaddy has been selected as the ‘Official Electric Trolley’ of the PGA EuroPro Tour for the thirteenth consecutive year. The PGA EuroPro Tour is the leading developmental tour in Europe with the top five players from the Order of Merit receiving exemptions onto the 2019 European Challenge Tour.