Former Birmingham and Wales defender Andy Legg held his nerve on the final day to beat defending champion Andy Morrison and claim a first victory in the 21st edition of the Footballers’ Golf Classic at Spain’s famous La Manga Club resort.
Legg was forced to settle for third place behind Morrison in 2016 but made no mistake 12 months later, holding off the Manchester City cult hero’s challenge to take the title under sunny skies at the popular sports and leisure resort in Murcia, south-east Spain.
The winner was never out of the first three in the 54-hole Stableford event, which was played on La Manga Club’s renowned South and North courses, clinching victory with a final total of 105 points, two ahead of Morrison, with former Aston Villa and England midfielder Lee Hendrie three points further back in third.
After playing to handicap and scoring 36 points in the opening round to sit two points behind early leader, ex-Liverpool, Tottenham and England striker Paul Walsh, Legg continued his good form on the second day, carding 34 points to lie one point behind Graham Roberts going into the final round.
Former Chelsea and Tottenham favourite Roberts surged into the lead in the second round with a best-of-the-week score of 43 points but was unable to repeat his heroics on day three, allowing Legg, Morrison and Hendrie to overtake him as his challenge faltered and he dropped out of the top three.
This year’s Footballers’ Golf Classic was as popular as ever and attracted a stellar field from the footballing world including other previous winners, former Aston Villa and Scotland striker turned Sky Sports commentator Alan McInally, Kenny Hibbitt, Pat Jennings and Russell Osman.
Joining them at La Manga Club were the likes of ex-England internationals Darius Vassell, Mark Wright, Ray Clemence, Steve Bull and Dave Beasant; former Manchester United and Wales star Clayton Blackmore and Derby legends Roy McFarland and Roger Davies – both making their debuts in the event.
The golf classic featured four days of competitive golf: the one-day Alan Ball Trophy and the three-day main event – which was sponsored by The Four Amigos: Michael Dick, Alan Robinson, Martin Archer and Dave Harris – with competitors playing alongside a different footballer each day.
Entry included five nights in the five-star Hotel La Manga Club Principe Felipe, breakfast, welcome and gala dinners and prize-giving with entertainment, with ‘A Shaw Thing’, whose team consisted of Mark Shaw, Greg Shaw and Tony Parish, finally taking victory in the overall team competition at the 15th time of asking having twice finished as runners-up.
The luxurious setting of La Manga Club is the ideal venue for the competition with its three 18-hole golf courses perfectly complemented by the rest of the resort’s wide-ranging facilities including a recently-rebranded Golf Training Center, a 28-court tennis centre and 2,000sqm spa complex.
The Footballers’ Golf Classic is organised by Mancini Events and the event will head back to the award-winning venue again next year. For further information, please visit www.mancinievents.co.uk, call 07918 644900 or email donna@mancinievents.co.uk .
For more details on La Manga Club and to book, please visit www.lamangaclub.com .