Bike crash forces Licata into late change

A cycling accident has forced Bristol Golf Centre’s Giuseppe Licata to find a new playing partner for the Golfbreaks.com PGA Fourball Championship.

Licata (pictured) was due to play in the regional qualifier at Exeter Golf & Country Club with Daryl Kelley, of Filton Golf Club.

But Kelley broke a bone in his hand after an incident during a bike ride and will not recover in time for the event, which will take place on Monday 5 August.

Kelley will need an operation on his metacarpal, and faces a lay-off of around a month before he can return to the tee.

Licata will now team up with Bristol Golf Centre colleague Tim Baker for the BMW-supported qualifying event.

The pair will be aiming to reach the £28,750 final which will be held at Forest Pines Hotel in Lincolnshire on October 2-4.

Licata explained: “Daryl was out riding his bike; he hit a pothole and came off. He fell awkwardly and broke his hand.

“But he was still able to play in The Lombard Trophy regional final the next day before he knew what the injury was.

“And he just missed out on making the final there. I told him he seems to play better with a broken hand!

“But he was told to either take six weeks’ rest or have an operation and be back in three to four weeks.

“He had the operation as six weeks is a long time to be out at this stage of the season.”

But Licata has welcomed Baker stepping in at the last minute.

He added: “We’ve played well together in other events so it should work despite the change.

“I’d like to get back to the final, it’s been four years since I got there and it means there’s something to aim for at the end of the season.”

Other teams taking part at Exeter include Michael Watson (Wessex Golf Centre) and Martyn Thompson (Parkstone Golf Club); Ben Martin (Exeter) and James Pickard (Honiton); Michael Hunt and Joe Ferguson (Celtic Manor); Rhys Davies and Adam Constable (Cardiff); and Daniel Keitch and Martin Keitch (Taunton Vale).