Lancashire duo Steve Parry and Simon Lucas turned Tuesday October 6, 2022, at Sutton Coldfield Golf Club into red rose day by winning the PGA Inter-County Championship.
Predictably, the pair’s four-shot victory fuelled by a 36-hole total of 12-under and completed by Lucas holing a three-foot putt, sparked a celebratory hug and beaming smiles.
All of which contrasted sharply with the frowns and furrowed brows that followed a front nine to forget.
Having begun the foursomes round of the tournament sharing pole position with Suffolk a shot clear of the field, the pair looked as though they had blown Lancashire’s chances of winning the Dave Thomas Trophy for the first time.
“We had four bogeys on the front nine,” said Parry, reflecting on reaching the turn on one-over for the day and losing ground in the chase for the £4,000 winner’s cheque.
It could have been worse, however. “Si holed some really good putts for par and that kept us going,” Parry added.
Lucas also lit the blue touch paper for an explosive back nine with an approach that kissed the flagstick at the 10th and left his partner with a two-foot putt for birdie.
Three birdies and an eagle at the par-four 14th followed and Leicestershire and Hampshire, tournament leaders at the turn on nine-under, had to settle for second and third place respectively, while Suffolk imploded and finished tied-ninth.
“We dovetailed quite well and just clicked,” Parry continued with a degree of under-statement. “We had five really good holes on the back nine and knew we could bogey in after that.”
In the event, the pair signed off with four successive pars for the best round of the day - a four-under par 68 that was just one of two to break regulation; Leicestershire, represented by Matt Cort and Craig Shave, posted the other.
The victory means Parry has now won two national PGA tournaments contested by pairs, the first coming in Portugal five years ago when he and amateur partner Andy Picton were triumphant in the Lombard Trophy.
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