Alan Shearer swings into Hartlepool as Seaton Carew course hosts first pro-am tournament since lockdown

Just weeks after his good friend and former world number one Lee Westwood visited Seaton Carew Golf Cub, Shearer made his own appearance.

He played on a team for Newcastle golf course Close House as the latest North East-North West PGA Pro-Am made its return to the tenth oldest course in England.

The Match of the Day pundit also posed for a picture with local schoolboy Alfie Magill.

Seaton Captain Norman Bagley said: “What a fantastic day to restart the Pro-Am season after lockdown.

“After a couple of missed years Seaton Carew came back to the Pro-Am circuit with a bang, hosting a wonderful entry of 33 teams who enjoyed super weather and a course which was universally acclaimed to be in wonderful condition by professionals and team players alike.”

Two previous professional winners of the Seaton Carew Pro-Am, Craig Goodfellow and Mark Ridley, praised the excellent condition of the course.

Clydeway Golf Club’s Paul O’Hara was the pro whose fourball won the event along with amateur team-mates Adam Scott, Kenny Scott and Willie Vallance.

The team's 124 total was enough to see O'Hara collect the lucrative £1,250 prize for the pro while the amateurs received £150 each in vouchers, finishing four ahead of James Maw’s Rockliffe Hall team.

Hexham GC and Waterfront were third and fourth respectively.

Seaton Carew’s rave reviews follow the immediate improvements seen since Head Greenkeeper Tom Coulson was appointed having left his post at Open venue Royal St George’s, Sandwich, earlier this summer.

Seaton has hosted numerous national events over the years, including the Brabazon Trophy.

NE-NW PGA secretary Steven Harrison said: "Firstly on behalf of the NE/NW PGA, I'd like to thank Seaton Carew Golf Club, from the green staff, catering and bar staff, to the boys in the Pro shop, for their combined effort to stage a hugely successful Pro-Am on Monday.

“With what we've all experienced in 2020, 33 teams shows the popularity of your great golf club."

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