Dan’s the man at inaugural iGolf Open 

Leeds golfer Dan Turton won the first staging of the iGolf Open after shooting 38 points at Woodhall Spa’s Hotchkin Course.

Playing off 15, Turton fired seven pars and a birdie to see him crowned the first-ever iGolf Open winner, as he won by a single point against a field of 53 other iGolfers.

The tournament was open to members of England Golf’s iGolf scheme, which enables golfers who aren’t members of a club to hold an official handicap for a £44 annual fee.

After collecting his trophy Turon said “It’s fantastic! It was pretty steady stuff the whole way round, and from birdieing the par-five on the back nine, I played pretty good golf. The last few holes were a bit crazy, but I managed to keep it together.

“Every hole is so challenging at this course, but the event has been amazing from start to finish. It’s been great meeting new people from all different backgrounds, and I’d certainly recommend it to anyone looking to join iGolf.”

Jay Kossifos, who plays off 8, finished second after nine pars and two birdies. The 25-year-old said: “The highlight of my day was hitting a 6-iron to six feet on the hardest hole. It was a really enjoyable day, and playing alongside my brother, we enjoyed the company of the others who we met on the day. The course was immaculate and I’ll 100% be coming back.”

Alex McMahon, playing off 14, too third spot, in a round that includes seven pars and a birdie on the par-five 9th hole. He said: “It’s been a great event. iGolf has been ideal for me to maintain a handicap while providing the opportunity to play a superb course in great condition.”

Four players finished on 35 points, while former England Rugby star Rory Underwood (pictured) finished in tied-ninth on 32 points, with the winger’s round including a birdie on the last hole.

Rory said: “I love playing at the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa and to be part of the first iGolf event was a lot of fun. As much as I love golf, I’m not a regular golfer. I can’t turn up and play every weekend because of rugby and other commitments. Most of my golf is played at charity or corporate golf days and with friends. I don’t play enough to make it worth me joining a golf club, so actually iGolf has solved things for me because I can get a handicap to be able to play anywhere in the world.” 

The prize for the top female golfer went to Chelcie Lawrie (pictured), who bagged 32 points playing off 14. She enjoyed brilliant back-to-back birdies on the final two holes to take home the trophy. “It’s a nice surprise, but a few decent shots at the end got me into the points! It was a cracking day out and I can’t wait to do it all again,” she said.

View the final leaderboard by clicking here or learn more about the event here.