Printing company manager Richard Bridger will be heading for Turkey after Clacton Golf Club’s victory in the St. James’s Place PGA National Pro-Am Championship qualifying event.
The 10 handicapper teamed up with PGA Professional Sam Teer to win the event at Orsett Golf Club.
But they had a tense wait to find out if they had won. They were the first pair out and their total of 43 points was matched by Daniel Field and Simon Jenkins of East Herts Golf Club.
The Clacton duo came out on top on countback though, with their birdie at the 17th hole proving decisive at the Grays venue.
Now Bridger and Teer will play in the showpiece final to be held on the PGA Sultan course at Antalya Golf Club, on November 29-30.
“I made a good start and that relaxed me for the day and I was able to play good, easy golf,” said Bridger, who has been a member at Clacton for 22 years.
“But it was nerve racking at the end waiting for the scores to come in, we were the first out and another team had 43 points.
“We beat them as we had a better back nine, but we had to wait for everyone to finish so we could see what the other scores were.
“But looking back, I think the 17th hole was important as we got a birdie. My putt just sort of fell in after getting to the edge. My putting was quite good on the day, but I felt I had to give this one a little bit more.
“If that hadn’t happened, then Sam said we probably would’ve finished with a point less, and we wouldn’t have won.”
Bridger felt he and Teer were in with a chance of victory after a strong front nine.
“We knew that, on the back nine, we had to step it up a bit,” said Bridger, who works in Colchester as an operations manager at print company Incodia International.
“I’ve never played in Turkey before, but I have been to Portugal and Spain.
“But I will be going to the States in a few weeks for a mate’s 50th birthday. We’re heading to Florida and we’re booked in to play at Sawgrass, so that’ll be good preparation for Turkey.”
