Wales - Host Nation for The 2010 Ryder Cup

BROWN LEADS FROM THE FRONT TO TAKE WELSH CROWN

Ian Brown expressed his determination to push on after holding off the chasing pack to secure the Ryder Cup Wales 2010 Welsh Open Young PGA Professional Championship.

The Newent PGA assistant professional, who began the day with a one shot lead, finished with aplomb sinking a 40 foot birdie on Southerndown’s testing final hole for a three-shot winning margin over Beeston Field’s Lee Clarke.

Brown, who carded a final round two-under-par 68 over the gorse-strewn Bridgend course for a six-under 134 total, never looked in danger of surrendering his grasp of the title after opening his second round with back-to-back birdies.

But the 29-year-old, who secured a cheque for £1,800, admitted that despite the margin of victory, it was a far from straightforward day.

"It was a grind and a different sort of day to yesterday," said Brown, who 24 hours earlier hailed the impact of Cumberwell Park pro John Jacobs in giving him the tools and confidence to secure a victory of this stature.

"The pins were all tucked away and I found the positions really, really difficult so I just tried to hit as many greens as possible and putts I could just lag up.

"I hit 16 greens and the two I missed were dropped shots. On the 18th, I just played away from the pin and played safe.

"The whole day has been fairly nerve-racking but to win is definitely great. It’s what we do and all part of playing well. I did enjoy it but I did realise when I bogeyed the 10th that I could give it all back."

But Brown didn’t it give back and can now look forward to an enhanced summer of golf which includes automatic entry to the €150,000 SWALEC Wales Challenge event at the Vale Hotel Golf & Spa in August and the Ryder Cup Wales 2010 Welsh Open PGA Championship in June.

"It’s a great start to the year now because it gets me into the Challenge Tour event in Wales and into the Welsh Open PGA Championship and gives me more and more confidence," he said.

"A lot of stuff hopefully comes from this win including maybe some more Challenge Tour events and it’s good just to be seen winning tournaments, especially as I’ve had a few confidence issues."

Runner-up Clarke, who finished second at PGA Europro QSchool, maintained his good start to the year with a second sub-par round after carding a two-under 68.

"I feel pretty good and played pretty solid over both days I just didn’t hole enough putts," he said.

"I made some changes three weeks ago with my coach and I’ve just got to be patient. I made two three putts which I don’t like doing but all credit to Ian as he did the business yesterday and held on today."

Abergele PGA assistant Stuart Runcie came out of a pack of players with a 68 to finish third at one-under-par.

That secured him automatic entry into Powerade PGA Assistants’ Championship and the Ryder Cup Wales 2010 Welsh Open PGA Championship.

Defending champion Alex Belt (Bridlington Links) fired a second round 73 to finish in a share of seventh at three-over par.