Sion Bebb defied a lack of practice and breezy conditions at Machynys Peninsula to put himself on course to win the Asbri Welsh National PGA Championship for the fourth time.
The pro from Morlais Castle Golf Club first won the tournament 17 years ago, made a successful defence of the title and was triumphant again in 2017. In addition, since turning 50 he has won the Seniors element of the event three times in the last four years.
The skills for that catalogue of success were much in evidence as he negotiated the visually stunning and challenging Jack Nicklaus-designed course with a six-under par round of 66 to lead Tim Dykes by a shot.
Dykes (pictured below), is another former champion, having won at Cardiff in 2020, and Lee Rooke, who prevailed in an epic nine-hole play-off with Toby Hunt at Aberdovey last year, is just three shots off the pace.
Reflecting on leading the chase for the £1,500 first prize at the halfway stage, Bebb said: “I would have taken that before today.
“I was quite surprised how windy it was when I got here – there hasn’t been a breath of wind anywhere for the last couple of nights, so it was a bit of a shock. But I suppose you should have wind in Llanelli in Wales!
“There’s a few testing tee shots and you’re glad if you get away with it. I played pretty well – the birdie on the last was the only one I got on the par-fives.
“There’s a couple out there where I should have picked up shots had it not been for errant tee shots. I also had a couple of bogeys, but the rest of my game was pretty good. It’s a good position to be in.”
Given Bebb has completed just four rounds in five weeks due to an injury, it’s also a remarkable one to occupy.
“I tore the meniscus in my right knee five weeks ago today,” he explained. “I’d just given my last lesson of the day, took a step forward outside the pro shop and it snapped.
“I literally couldn’t move and I was on crutches for more than two weeks and didn’t play for five weeks until last weekend when I played at Formby in the Seniors.
“I just turned up on a whim, unsure of how it was going to go. But I managed to make the cut and finished 30th – I was amazed, especially as I could have woken up and not be able to walk but I got through it.
“I don’t know how it’s going to feel tomorrow – I’ll fill myself with a load of Ibuprofens and off I go.”
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