Caesar rules at Machynys

Welsh doctor Harvey Caesar provided the ideal tonic after clinching a trip to Gleneagles in The Lombard Trophy.

The Royal Porthcawl Golf Club amateur (pictured left) partnered PGA Professional - and former finalist - Peter Evans for the regional final held at Machynys Peninsula Golf Club.

But despite carding an impressive 10-under-par round of 62, they snaked home by just one shot.

The Porthcawl pair beat Mark Rowe and Sam Crocker (Carlyon Bay Golf Club) and Daryl Kelley and Steve Cox (Filton Golf Club) into second place.

Evans and Caesar will now play in the £43,600 grand final which will be held at Gleneagles in Scotland - the venue for next year’s Ryder Cup - on September 3-4.

Penarth-based Caesar, who works in a Bridgend hospital, admitted Evans hit top form on the back nine.

Caesar, playing off a handicap of four, said: “We made the turn at five-under but then bogeyed the 10th so I thought we might have blown it. Then Peter caught fire for the rest of the round.”

“But I wasn’t sure our score would be enough - you can never tell until the very end - I thought someone would beat us.”

Caesar, 43, admitted he was delighted to be heading for Glenagles.

He added:  “What better, to be playing there? Just before the Ryder Cup.”

And PGA Professional Evans will be heading to the famous Scottish venue for the first time.

Evans said: “To play a course with that sort of reputation is going to be very special.

“I was trying not to get too excited out on the course - but now we can both get very excited about getting to the final.

“When I rolled in a 30 footer at the 13^th for an eagle I thought we might have a chance, and then Harvey holed a birdie at the 18th which proved decisive.”