Dredge’s stunning front nine helps secure Legends Tour Trophy victory

Conor Cantwell
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Bradley Dredge (Photo by Phil Inglis/Getty Images)

Conor Cantwell

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Bradley Dredge saved his best for the final day of play of the Legends Tour Trophy at the Hanbury Manor Marriott Hotel & Country Club, as the Welshman recorded a six-under-par round of 66 to finish two shots clear of the overnight leader, Joakim Haeggman.

The 2005 WGC World Cup winner strode away from the rest of the field in round three of the event hosted by Simon Khan, finishing the tournament on 14-under par, ahead of Haeggeman (-12), Greig Hutcheon (-12) and his playing partner for this week and World Cup partner from 2005, Stephen Dodd (-10) in fourth.

Dredge really made hay as the sun shone down on the final day of play – especially over the opening nine holes where the former European and Challenge Tour golfer knocked down bunches of birdies; two on the 2nd and 3rd and then three in a row on the 7th, 8th and 9th.

The Welshman had a steady back nine and birdied the 12th before giving a stroke back on the following hole and a birdie on the 18th was the insurance he needed as Dredge held on to his spot at the top of the leaderboard.

“I’m delighted,” exclaimed Dredge, after his final round triumph. “I played really well the first two rounds – tee to green I was really good, perhaps my wedge play could have been better, and I didn’t make any putts. So I spent a bit more time working on the putts this morning and trying to dial in the wedges and it paid off today.

“It was nice to birdie 18 and I was thinking that Greg could easily birdie 17 and birdie the last. It was a big putt for me to hole to make birdie on the last because it meant Greg had to hole his approach shot, so I was pleased to close it out like that.”

The leader over the first two days, Joakim Haeggman, took a one-shot lead into the final day and will feel that he let this one slip despite Dredge’s impressive play.

A birdie at the beginning and end of the front nine either side of a bogey on the 6th set the Haeggman to make a charge and overtake the insurgent Welshman.

But the opposite happened, as the Swede double-bogeyed the 10th and undid his solid showing on the opening nine holes.

Granted, this double bogey was erased by an eagle on the 17th, with his up-and-down back nine of one-under-par leaving him with a sliver of hope as he stepped up to the tee box on the 18th.

But it was too little too late for the first Swede to play in the Ryder Cup as the finished two shots back of the eventual leader, alongside Greig Hutcheon who had a consistent three days with scores of 67, 68 and 69, which left him joint second alongside Haeggman.

The Legends Tour returns from the 23rd to the 27th of August with the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship at the Trump International Golf Links, Scotland.

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