Raymond Russell wins TP Tour event at Robin Hood Golf Club

May 22nd saw Raymond Russell secure victory at the TP Tour event at Birmingham’s Robin Hood Golf Club

RaymondRussell
Raymond Russell wins the TP Tour event at Birmingham's Robin Hood Golf Club

Raymond Russell secured victory at the TP Tour event at Birmingham’s Robin Hood Golf Club

Farmfoods were the title sponsor of the TP Tour event at Robin Hood Golf Club in Solihull, Birmingham on May 22nd.

The field at the tournament saw a host of top golfing names including seven European Tour title winners, and two former Ryder Cup players, David Gilford and Paul Broadhurst.

Former Portugese Open Champion Van Phillips was the leader after the 18 hole stage, with a round of 68, four under par.

The course coped superbly well considering the conditions, and play resumed for the 3 hole shootout, with Phillips joined by Raymond Russell, Adam Gee and Simon Lillly.

Russell clinched the title and the winners cheque of £5,000 holing a putt of some 25 feet on the final green.

For the first time in British Professional Golf, the tournament format was shotgun start, shootout finish, with the top four contesting strokeplay over the final three testing holes at Robin Hood.

The golf course was presented in immaculate order, winning praise from all competitors.

A few pros even said it was the best conditioned course they had ever played on with smooth and fast greens. Robin Hood has recently invested in John Deere turf machinery.

Local pros and TP Tour regulars joined the European Tour elite players.

The event also featured live scoring with scorers from each group recording players’ live scores.

Conditions were difficult with heavy rain falling most of the day.

The next TP Tour event will be the Sunningdale Par 3 Challenge on Friday 6 June.

Nick Bonfield
Features Editor

Nick Bonfield joined Golf Monthly in 2012 after graduating from Exeter University and earning an NCTJ-accredited journalism diploma from News Associates in Wimbledon. He is responsible for managing production of the magazine, sub-editing, writing, commissioning and coordinating all features across print and online. Most of his online work is opinion-based and typically centres around the Majors and significant events in the global golfing calendar. Nick has been an avid golf fan since the age of ten and became obsessed with the professional game after watching Mike Weir and Shaun Micheel win The Masters and PGA Championship respectively in 2003. In his time with Golf Monthly, he's interviewed the likes of Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Jose Maria Olazabal, Henrik Stenson, Padraig Harrington, Lee Westwood and Billy Horschel and has ghost-written columns for Westwood, Wayne Riley, Matthew Southgate, Chris Wood and Eddie Pepperell. Nick is a 12-handicap golfer and his favourite courses include Old Head, Sunningdale New, Penha Longha, Valderrama and Bearwood Lakes. If you have a feature pitch for Nick, please email nick.bonfield@futurenet.com with 'Pitch' in the subject line. Nick is currently playing: Driver: TaylorMade M1 Fairway wood: TaylorMade RBZ Stage 2 Hybrid: Ping Crossover Irons (4-9): Nike Vapor Speed Wedges: Cleveland CBX Full Face, 56˚, Titleist Vokey SM4, 60˚ Putter: testing in progress! Ball: TaylorMade TP5x