Brett is Taylor made for Burnham

Former PGA Assistants’ champion Brett Taylor has his sights set on another national crown after winning the Titleist & FootJoy PGA Professional Championship East qualifying event at Essendon Golf Club.

Taylor topped the leaderboard at the Hertfordshire venue after carding a level-par round of 72.

And the victory means he has qualified for the grand final for the first time despite a career which saw him take the PGA Assistants’ title at the London Club nine years ago.

He has also played on the European Tour and he competed in the Open at Troon in 2004.

Now he is hoping to put himself in contention for a PGA Cup place and face the USA in California this September.

Taylor beat Keith Grant (St Ives Golf Club) and Lawrence Dodd (Bury Golf Range) by two shots - and they will join nine other qualifiers at the £91,500 grand final which will be held at Burnham & Berrow Golf Club in Somerset on June 2-5.

The Essex-based professional now players under the Brett Taylor Golf banner.

He said: “I had been playing more than coaching, but I’ve got a young family now so I’ve set up Brett Taylor Golf which is based at Crondon Park.

“That takes up a lot of my time and I do a lot of coaching now, but I still enjoy playing so this is a good thing for me.”

Taylor was delighted to book his place for Burnham.

He added: “This is the first time I’ve qualified for the final, I’ve played once or twice before and not made it.

“Other times the qualifier has clashed with something else so it’s really nice to get through to a big tournament like this again.

“I’ve heard the venue at Burnham is a fantastic course but I’ve never played there.

“I’d like to think I’m playing well so the opportunity to perhaps try for a PGA Cup place is there too.

“I still play the regional Order of Merit though.”

But Taylor admitted that the weather played its part at Esssendon.

He said: “The conditions were very difficult, it was really windy which explained why the scores weren’t that low.”