Cornish marks golfing comeback with trip to Ryder Cup venue

Derbyshire amateur Keith Cornish returned to the golf course just 12 months ago, but he is now preparing to play at Gleneagles with Shirland Golf Club PGA Professional Tim Stevens for the final of The Lombard Trophy.

They are taking part in the £43,600 showpiece event which will be held over the PGA Centenary course at the venue for next year’s Ryder Cup on September 3-4.

And simply qualifying for the tournament is a major achievement for Cornish, 50 (pictured on right), who plays off a handicap of 16.

He explained: “I wanted to get back into golf before I turned 50 and decided last year was the time to do it.

“I’d had a break of maybe 28 years from it, but Shirland had a winter offer on for new members so I thought I’d take them up on that as I had nothing to lose. Now I’m going Gleneagles with Tim which is really thrilling.

“I’m looking forward to the event because Tim’s good to play with; he makes it look so easy and helped me get round Little Aston when we qualified for the final.”

Cornish, who works as a director of an electrical firm, has been to Gleneagles before - but it was only a fleeting visit.

He smiled: “My dad took me there when I was a teenager; we went up the drive and looked around. I think I had a coke in the doorway and that was it - so this’ll be something new.”

Stevens (left) will be taking on his former club Kedleston Park in the final.

Former Shirland PGA Professional Ian Walley left to go to Kedleston with Stevens coming in the other direction – and both players have made it to Gleneagles.

Stevens admitted: “It’s a real co-incidence with only 16 places available.