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Après l'Open International de Paris 2011, une nouvelle victoire
pour Phil !

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Golding's Super 63 Leads to Beko Triumph

Beko Classic, Third Round, Antalya, Turkey 

PHIL GOLDING and CARL SUNESON found themselves embroiled in what proved to be a slow-death play-off on Antalya's PGA-branded Sultan course after the former stormed in with a phenomenal 63 and Carl Suneson leaked the shot he needed at the 18th for an outright victory.

From there, tied on 13-under, head-to-head, they went for the top prize of US$8,000 from the US$80,000 prize fund. And what a shoot-out it proved to be ! The so-called 'sudden-death' play-off took three attempts of their going back and forth up that decisive final hole.

First it was for a birdie-birdie half, then for a par-par version and finally, as Suneson leaked a shot again at his troublesome par-four to complete a double-jinx, Golding's par prevailed.

The former European Tour winner's fabulous, unblemished 63 comprising ten pars and eight birdies, was topped and tailed in true pro style with three birdies in the opening four holes and two in the final three. At 49 years of age he is clearly well prepared for the European Seniors Tour in 2012, via an exemption earned with his past victory in the French Open when he beat David Howell into runners-up spot.

In contrast, after setting off with his meagre one stroke overnight lead on the field, Suneson was unable to keep his scoring consistency together in matching fashion. His seven birdie haul was undermined by four dropped shots, the most costly being on that final green when a par would have kept his nose in front.

Behind them, thirty-five-year-old Benn Barham, joint third alongside Iain Pyman, continued to earn the admiration of all for the courage of his return to competitive golf following surgery. This involved the removal of a kidney in 2010, just when he was striving to establish himself on the European Tour.

Judging by his recurring excellent form the cancer nightmare is thankfully behind him though he hasn't forgotten the trauma…he now contributes a pound, for every birdie he scores, to a hospice for terminally ill children in Kent, UK.

This means that from his Beko performance the charity that must be very close to his heart will benefit from an additional £14 towards his total 'birdies-for-the-sick-kids' donation as he added four more to the ten carded in the opening two rounds with a final round 68 for an eleven-under score overall.

With its strong and experienced field featuring European and Challenge Tour players, the eleventh Beko international Pro-Am staged under PGAs of Europe endorsement saw 16 players finish below par for the 54 holes as the event goes from strength to strength.