Battersby pockets final spot after dominant display

Terry Battersby was right on cue to book his place in the Lombard Trophy final at Gleneagles.

Bolton based Battersby, of Hart Common Golf Club, left, teamed up with PGA Professional Steve Parry, representing NW Golf Academy, to win the regional final at Pleasington Golf Club in Blackburn.

Parry has now qualified for the final two years in a row and the duo dominated by carding a 10-under-par round of 61 to win by two shots.

The pair will now play in the £43,600 final over the King’s Course at Gleneagles between September 2-3 - just three weeks before the Ryder Cup is held at the same venue.

Battersby will celebrate his 40th birthday just days before the Pro-Am event.

And he admitted that he and Parry turned to a different game while waiting for their rivals to finish.

“We were one of the first groups in and knew we’d played well,” said Battersby, who plays off a handicap of 15.

“There was a bit of a wait so Steve suggested we go and have a game of snooker rather than stand around getting nervous about whether we were going to hold onto the lead.

“So that’s what we did.

“We knew we’d posted a good score, but you never know in golf, there’s always someone capable of coming in and beating it.”

Battersby, who works as a service engineer, can now look forward to a double celebration.

“I’ll be 40 in the same week as we go to Gleneagles so it’ll be a great way to mark it,” he said.

“I’ve never played there before and haven’t done anything like this in nine years of playing golf.

“I know Derrick Rigby who played in the final with Steve last year so I’ll ask him what it was like. I think we’ll be using a different course this time though.”

Parry admitted Battersby was the key to their victory.

“You need a good amateur partner to do well and I was lucky to have Terry,” he said.

“We’ll be looking to improve on last year when we came ninth.”

The host pairing of Ged Furey and Mark Sears finished third, three shots behind the leaders.