A KIWI and a Magpie was responsible for helping the Aussie to win the first ISPS Handa PGA Seniors Championship to be held at Close House.

New South Wales’ Peter Fowler was presented with a cheque of £41,600 after holding his game together on the final day to stay at the top of the leaderboard despite the challenge of Austrian Gordon Manson and England’s Carl Mason.

After closing with three birdies in his last six holes, Fowler revealed afterwards that he knew exactly how to play the Lee Westwood Colt Course on the outskirts of Newcastle because course designer Scott MacPherson had told him exactly how to crack it.

“I studied it quite hard because I played it a few years ago so I tried to remember how the designer told me to play the course,” said Fowler, who warmly embraced MacPherson before the trophy presentation.

“When it is bouncy like it is you have to really know where the slopes are. I had a lot of information with me and that made it easier.

“The designer is a Kiwi guy he said to me to pop over one time to have a look at it so I am glad I did. It is a beautiful development with great ambience and I certainly won’t forget it now.”

The 56-year-old, who was emotional when he was handed the trophy with his family looking on, ended three shots clear of Manson, who was level on nine-under after ten before Fowler recaptured the form he had show for most of the tournament.

He also had Newcastle United Golf Club three-handicapper John Simmons on his bag to thank in his winners’ speech. Simmons said: “I am lucky because it is a great opportunity to be on his bag. I love golf so when I get time of work I do it.

“I’m a golf nut. It started up at Slaley Hall one year, they were short of caddies and since then I have had the chance to caddie for Peter a few times. My son caddied across Europe for a year with him and I do a few tournaments a year for him. It’s great to see him win.”

Fowler carried on his magic from winning in Jersey last week with an impressive four-day showing on the hilly and tricky Colt course, which did dry up for him starting after the morning downpours. It remained cold all day, though, and he bogeyed the second to get off to the worst start.

And when he pulled his nine-iron left and short at the ninth, the resultant double bogey could well have proven costly as Manson closed the gap and they were level for two holes.

The man who was born in St Andrews and was an assistant pro at Ganton, North Yorkshire, dropped a silly shot at the last when a short range par putt was missed. At the same time Fowler made a brilliant approach at 17 from the light rough to tap in for a birdie.

Manson, who had Cramlington’s Ian Irving on his back for the five days, said: “I wasn’t sure of the situation. I didn’t look at the scoreboards all the way round it’s better for me to play like that.

“I just kept trying to make birdies and I thought you never know Pete might just have a bit of an off day as the greens aren’t so easy. It’s my best ever finish and I’m delighted.”

Manson claimed £29,120 and record European Senior Tour title holder Mason, four shots off the lead, earned £26,820 for finishing third. This, though, was Fowler’s day.

He said: “This is certainly a good one. I was up there from start to finish and to play a couple of rounds with Carl Mason on a weekend, you can’t ask for better than that. I probably thought after nine I could be caught but it was time to knuckle down and play golf.

“Two wins in a row is something that doesn’t happen very often. There are a lot of years of hard work, almost 15 years, to get to this stage, so it’s been worth it. I am playing really good golf and whether you win or not it’s a bonus, but playing good golf is what I strive to do. That’s what I work to do.”

The last remaining North-East golfer in the field, Matfen Hall’s John Harrison, finished on 11 over for the tournament after a final round of 75. That was no disgrace given how there were only eight players to finish under par over the four days.

It brought an end to the first four day Tour tournament to be held at Close House and it could well be back next year if the PGA and Close House’s decision makers take up the second year option.

Close House’s sales and marketing director Ian Dinning said: “We had the fantastic weather until the weather turned against us a bit but everyone still received a warm welcome here.

“We look forward to seeing everyone again and maybe come back and play the Championship course here. We wanted to put a top class golf tournament on and we believe we have delivered that.”

Leaderboard

-12 Peter Fowler

-9 Gordon Manson

-8 Carl Mason

-6 Miguel Angel Martin

-5 Phillip Goulding

-3 Tim Thelen

-1 Gary Emerson

-1 Jean Pierre Sallat

LVL Anders Forsbrand, Pedro Linhart, Philip Walton