Clark bids to go one better

Sutton Coldfield’s Cameron Clark aims to build on one of his best years in golf when he tees off at the Titleist & FootJoy PGA Professional Championship.

The Moor Hall Golf Club head pro finished tied second in last year’s event and went on to make his debut in the Great Britain & Ireland that won the PGA Cup against the USA in California after years of knocking on the door to try and earn his selection.

Now Clark will be doing his best to go one better at the £78,000 showpiece event being held at The Oxfordshire between July 26-29.

“It was a great year and playing in the PGA Cup was the best experience of my life, it really was,” he said.

“That was something I’d always wanted to do and wasn't sure if it would happen. I thought my chance had gone. I knew a lot of the guys on team anyway so to go on and win it was awesome.

“This year is about trying to match up to that and keeping it going.

“It was a bit frustrating to finish second in last year’s final but great to be right up there and making sure of my PGA Cup selection.”

Clark knows that this year’s event will be in contrasting surroundings to 12 months ago when he secured his top two finish on the Burnham & Berrow links in Somerset.

This time the Rees Jones-designed Oxfordshire presents a different challenge with its American-style layout which during the 1990s hosted European Tour events where Colin Montgomerie, Bernhard Langer and Darren Clarke all won.

“Whoever hits it long will do well here, whether that’s me remains to be seen but I am looking forward to it, it’ll be a real test,” he said.

“We’ve had the final here before so I do know the course.

“I’m making sure I’m prepared for it and getting my practice in. But I never over-prepare before an event, I just tend to go with it. It’s all about making sure you play all four days the seeing what happens.”

There is plenty to play for with the winner taking home a £10,000 first prize and the keys to a Peugeot 308 GT Line Blue HDi 120 for a year while there are also qualification points towards the 2017 Great Britain & Ireland PGA Cup team.

Also in the 144 strong field is Clark’s PGA Cup team-mate Lee Clarke (Beeston Fields) while other Midland contenders include: 1997 champion Brian Rimmer (Little Aston); Craig Shave (Whetstone Golf Club); Andrew Willey (Bulwell Forest Golf Club); James Whatley (Morley Hayes Golf); Alexander Stockton  (Moor Hall Golf Club); John Bandurak  (Bloxwich Golf Club) and Stephen Bennett  Waltham Windmill Golf Club.