Course Record Jon as he wins Cornish Closed
Jon shoots 65!
Jon Rowe - Cornish Closed Championship Winner 2025
Bowood Park greenkeeper Jon Rowe shot a course record 65 in the second round of the Cornish Closed Championship to come from behind to beat four time winner and PGA Professional Joe Cruse.
China Fleet's Jason Friend continued a rich vein of form to win the U21 Championship and Fred Kirkland (Tehidy Park) picked up first prize in the handicap element.
It really was quite an astonishing day at Bowood Park on Sunday - why? Well, the bookmakers' favourite was host club PGA Professional Joe Cruse, who had won the competition in the previous 4 years. But at the start of the day Joe himself said "Keep an eye on Jon Rowe because if he is playing well he will beat me." Fresh from shooting 9 under pat off the yellows at Bowood Park, Rowe did just that ending up two shots better than Cruse over the 36 holes. This was maybe not on the cards through the first 18 as Cruse led Rowe by two shots after a morning round of 70 in which he admitted to holing nothing.
Joe Cruse looks happy with the tee shot
The afternoon round though, saw a great battle between the two of them. Cruse extended his lead to 4 shots with three birdies on the bounce through holes 2 to 4. Rowe birdied the 3rd to stay in touch and reduced the deficit with a birdie of his own at the 5th. Cruse bogeyed the par-3 6th, and we were back to where we started the round. Both made birdies at the 9th to leave Cruse still two ahead. Rowe had birdied the 9th then went on a run with 5 more birdies over the next 6 holes to establish a lead of 2. that became 3 when Cruse bogeyed the 17th. So to the last hole. Rowe put his drive into the plantation left of the 18th and was able to take free relief, but was forced to go a long way back to do so. He found the green in three with Cruse on in two. A lengthy birdie putt from Cruse narrowly missed the hole, and he made par. This left Rowe to cosy one up to the hole, but the bogey he made was sufficient to grant him the two-shot win over Cruse.
Rowe's second round 65 was made up of 8 birdies, 9 pars, and that one bogey at the last. Some amazing golf, a new course record, and a well-deserved win, which will no doubt attract the attention and put him on the radar of the County Captain.
Bowood Park greenkeeper Jon Rowe shot a course record 65 in the second round of the Cornish Closed Championship to come from behind to beat four time winner and PGA Professional Joe Cruse.
China Fleet's Jason Friend continued a rich vein of form to win the U21 Championship and Fred Kirkland (Tehidy Park) picked up first prize in the handicap element.
It really was quite an astonishing day at Bowood Park on Sunday - why? Well, the bookmakers' favourite was host club PGA Professional Joe Cruse, who had won the competition in the previous 4 years. But at the start of the day Joe himself said "Keep an eye on Jon Rowe because if he is playing well he will beat me." Fresh from shooting 9 under pat off the yellows at Bowood Park, Rowe did just that ending up two shots better than Cruse over the 36 holes. This was maybe not on the cards through the first 18 as Cruse led Rowe by two shots after a morning round of 70 in which he admitted to holing nothing.
Joe Cruse looks happy with the tee shot
The afternoon round though, saw a great battle between the two of them. Cruse extended his lead to 4 shots with three birdies on the bounce through holes 2 to 4. Rowe birdied the 3rd to stay in touch and reduced the deficit with a birdie of his own at the 5th. Cruse bogeyed the par-3 6th, and we were back to where we started the round. Both made birdies at the 9th to leave Cruse still two ahead. Rowe had birdied the 9th then went on a run with 5 more birdies over the next 6 holes to establish a lead of 2. that became 3 when Cruse bogeyed the 17th. So to the last hole. Rowe put his drive into the plantation left of the 18th and was able to take free relief, but was forced to go a long way back to do so. He found the green in three with Cruse on in two. A lengthy birdie putt from Cruse narrowly missed the hole, and he made par. This left Rowe to cosy one up to the hole, but the bogey he made was sufficient to grant him the two-shot win over Cruse.
Rowe's second round 65 was made up of 8 birdies, 9 pars, and that one bogey at the last. Some amazing golf, a new course record, and a well-deserved win, which will no doubt attract the attention and put him on the radar of the County Captain.