Ellis is Rayleigh Club champion

Ian Ellis qualified for the Titleist PGA Play-Offs in the best possible fashion – by winning The Rayleigh Club Championship by five shots.

The Great Yarmouth and Caister Golf Club PGA Professional came into the final PGA in England (East) region Order of Merit event in the fourth and final qualifying spot for the end-of-season play-offs, which will be staged at Antalya Golf Club in Turkey from November 29 to December 1.

Earlier in the season, he’d been top of the pile but a modest effort by his standards at the previous week’s PGA East Anglian Open had left his chances of making it through hanging in the balance.

But Ellis turned on the style at The Rayleigh Club, producing a stunning opening 64 and a fine follow-up 68 to power to an emphatic triumph at 14-under-par.

His heroics ensured that he landed second spot on the final Order of Merit behind Essex golfer Jason Levermore. It was Ellis’ eighth success in an East region ranking tournament – but his first since 2007.

He said: “I am absolutely delighted. To be leading the Order of Merit, like I was, and then to possibly miss out on the top four and not go to Turkey would have been really hard to take.

“I had a good meeting with my sports psychologist Dan Abrahams the other day and it turned me around completely. Now I can’t wait to get back to Turkey – it is going to be awesome.

“A few years ago, I was on the verge of quitting golf – I’d stand over a pitching wedge and be scared stiff about where it was going to go. But I’ve fought really hard and I’ve got a few years left in me yet!”

Also joining Ellis at Antalya will be Levermore, Darren Charlton and Mark Hooper. Levermore’s slot was secure earlier in the summer, thanks to his second place finish in the Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship.

But the Channels Golf Club professional will also head to Turkey as the leading player from the region after finishing fifth at The Rayleigh Club, easily enough to claim the Order of Merit crown for the fourth time in his career.

He said: “I wanted to win this week but winning the Order of Merit again is a great second prize. So, I’m over the moon with it, to be honest.”

As well as an ultra-consistent Order of Merit campaign, Levermore has won a stack of pro-ams in 2014 and puts his success down to a couple of key factors.

He said: “It’s just down to being more relaxed and happy in my life. I’ve got my job at Channels which is going well – they give me a lot of support. It’s good at home, too, as we’ve got an 18-month old boy and he makes us happy. Everything is just good in life and it seems to be going nicely.”

At The Rayleigh Club, the big move in the race for the Play Offs came from Charlton (Dunstable Downs), who started the tournament in sixth place on the rankings.  But he put together rounds of 66 and 71 to tie for second at the Essex venue and finish third on the overall standings.

Charlton said: “It is the first time I will have played in the play-offs, but the second time I have qualified. A few years ago I did qualify for them but due to the birth of my daughter I had to drop out.

“It is very satisfying to qualify. I got off to a flying start on the first day – five-under after four holes was a once in a lifetime start.  That gave me the foundation to keep going.”

Charlton shared second place with Mark Davis (Thorndon Park) and also amateur golfer Ricky Lee, who plays at The Rayleigh Club.

Hooper, who won the PGA East Anglian Open at Basildon, could only finish in a tie for 13^th at the club where he is attached. But that was enough to see him make the end-of-season showdown in Turkey.

He said: “To get through is amazing. Two weeks ago, before Basildon, I didn’t think there was a chance.”