Southport’s Baldwin produces masterclass to seal Championship

19th March 2023

A Southport golfing legend stormed to a seven-shot victory at the SDC Championship 2023, producing a final-day masterclass to secure a first DP World Tour title in his 200th event.

Matthew Baldwin’s 11-year journey to the winner’s circle has contained plenty of ups and downs, with illness forcing him to cut his campaign short in 2015.

But he made the final stretch look easy as he marched to victory at St. Francis Links on Sunday, signing for a closing 68 to finish the tournament on 18 under par.

The Englishman began the day alongside Kristian Krogh Johannessen at the top of the leaderboard but made three birdies in the last four holes of his third round early on Sunday morning to take a four-stroke advantage into round four.

Baldwin extended that lead to six shots early in the final round, making three birdies on the front side to reach 17 under at the turn and keep the chasing pack at bay.

With no-one able to apply any meaningful pressure on him, Baldwin enjoyed a stress-free back nine as he made two further birdies, with his only bogey of the day coming at the 11th.