Scotland’s Carly Booth carded a final round 67 on The Dunes Course at Costa Navarino in Greece to win the 2016 Aegean Airlines Pro-Am and take home the first prize of €7,000, becoming the first female winner of the Pro-Am since it began in 2006.
Beginning the day two shots off the pace, Booth made substantial ground in the final grouping, eventually taking the lead with just two holes to play, and managed to hold off the chasing pack for her first PGAs of Europe Sanctioned Event victory with a -13 (200) total.
“I came here and did what I needed to do and I’ve had a great time doing it,” explained the two-time Ladies European Tour winner. “It’s a great boost for me to go back out on tour and get this winning feeling again because that’s what I want again.”
The leader at the start of Round 03, Paul Marks (PGA of South Africa), set the pace early on with a birdie at the first and their playing partner, Lee Rinker (PGA of America), also put the pressure on with a one-under par front nine. But Booth remained composed despite the efforts of the many chasers behind her:
“I didn’t know my position at all…so it was really just playing my own game and just against the two Pros I was playing with,” added Booth. “I knew I was two shots ahead – and we all birdied 16 and then Lee birdied 17, which took him to only one shot behind me. The 18th is a par five so I knew it was a birdie chance and I need to make one to make sure I’ve secured this winner’s spot.”
Rinker also shot one-under on his back nine for a two-under par 69 and a share of second place at -11 (202) with South Africa’s Jake Roos who’s final round four-under 67 was not quite enough to propel him into first.
Notable charges from competitors included the PGA of Austria’s, Georg Schultes, who’s final 68 to finish in sole fourth place, whilst David Heinzinger (PGA of Germany) and Panos Karantzias (PGA of Greece) each shot 67s to finish at T5 on -9 (204). Henrik Engdahl (PGA of Greece) and Paul Marks both also finished at -9 for the tournament.
The hotly contested two-round Team Pro-Am event finished with Panos Karantzias, and his amateurs Aris Vovos, Dimitris Moraitis, and Alexey Syomin, at the top with two excellent rounds of 90 and 93 points for an incredible 183 total (-39) .
In tied 2nd place in the Team Pro-Am were Steve Dooley (Austria) and amateurs, Gerhard Komarek, Gerhard Marischka, and Peter Fischer, Stuart Boyle (PGA of Great Britain & Ireland), Haris Papadopoulos, Georgios Kyvernitis, and Dimitris Carokis, and Rudy Whitfield (PGA of South Africa), Harry Christofi, Andre Hugo, and James Johnston, all on 181 points (-37).
