All good for Dave as Wales duo clinch Portugal spot

From L to R: Matthew Dearden with amateur Dave Gooding.

Car dealership worker Dave Gooding hit top gear at Burnham & Berrow Golf Club to clinch a place in the Lombard Trophy final in Portugal.

Gooding partnered Glamorganshire Golf Club PGA professional Matthew Dearden as the Welshmen fired a superb 13 under par round of 58 at the regional final held at the Somerset venue.

Their score was only challenged try another pairing from Wales as Toby Hunt and Mike Britton, of St Mellons Golf Club, finished just one shot back in second place.

It was Glamorganshire’s birdie on the 18th gave them the edge. Now Dearden and Gooding will travel to the £41,450, Coca-Cola and Pestana Resorts supported, National Pro-Am grand final which will be played at the Vila Sol resort in the Algarve between September 20-21.

“I couldn’t believe how well we played, it was just one of those days,” said Gooding, who works in the after sales department at Cardiff’s Porsche garage.

“Everything we lined up on the green just dropped and the conditions were ideal. It just made it easier off the tee off the first few holes when there’s no wind blowing.”

Five handicapper Gooding has been a member at Glamorganshire Golf Club for 28 years since joining as a youngster.

“I was 10 when I first started, so I’ve seen plenty of changes there.

“I can’t wait for the final so I’ll be putting plenty of practice in, I hope we can play like this again.”

It will be Dearden’s first appearance in the Lombard Trophy final.

He has only taken over at the Penarth club in the last four months.

“It was part of my remit when I applied for the job that I wanted to get the club’s name out there more,” explained Dearden.

“I hadn’t played in this event much but I wanted to this year, playing in these competitions helps a lot.

“We thought we’d done enough and had a six hour wait before we knew we’d won, but it was very close in the end, and we only did it by one shot,”

“We were keeping an eye on the St Mellons score so we were fortunate to birdie the 18th but I think we would’ve won on countback.

“The course was benign with so little wind but that makes it tricky as you’re never quite 100 per cent on the lines to take.

“Dave had a nett eagle on the 15th so he did more than his fair share of work.”

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