A North Wales golfer who only joined his club a year ago, has qualified for the St. James’s Place PGA National Pro-Am final in Turkey.
Bricklayer Paul Lloyd teamed up with experienced Rhos on Sea Golf Club PGA Professional Lee Harpin for the qualifying event at Enville Golf Club in Stourbridge.
Harpin did not think the pair had done enough to win after returning a score of 44 points. But a birdie on the 18th hole proved decisive and they edged out Brean Golf Club’s Andrew March and Dave Bradley by a point.
Now Harpin and Lloyd will play in the showpiece final to be held on the PGA Sultan course at Antalya Golf Club, on November 29-30.
“I started playing golf seriously last September, I’d always played football before that but then had to have a hip replacement,” said 11-handicapper Lloyd.
“The club had a membership offer on and I joined with a friend. Since then I’ve been able to get plenty of golf in. Before that, I’d played occasional golf, but, with work and football, this was the first time I’d actually joined a club.
“It’s been quite a good year as I made a hole-in-one to qualify for the Enville event. That ended up costing me £125 in drinks in the clubhouse afterwards, but it only cost me £3 to enter so It hasn’t been a bad investment now that we’re going to Turkey.
“That was another little box ticked off and the final will be a trip of a lifetime.
“It was the first time I’d played with Lee and it was a bit of an eye-opener playing with a professional.”
Harpin says the win was special for him as well.
“I’ve been playing these PGA qualifiers over the last 12 years, but never managed to get to a final,” he said. “It was something I wanted to do but, until now, I’d not won. I didn’t think we’d do it this time either.
“We had a great front nine, but were one under coming back. As it turned out, the birdie on the 18th won it for us, but we didn’t realise that at the time.
“Paul played a blinder and, with his football background, he’s a sportsman and people in the club have spoken about the progress he’s made over the last year.”
CLICK HERE to view a full set of results from the St. James's Place PGA National Pro-Am qualifier at Enville Golf Club.
