Enville pro warms up in style for Lumine test
23/11/2016
Richard Copsey (right) with amateur partner Andrew Whitlock after victory at the PGA Golfplan Pro-Captain Challenge Midland Qualifier.
Richard Copsey has prepared on both sides of the Atlantic for his shot at winning the £25,000 Golfplan Insurance PGA-Pro Captain Challenge grand final.
The Enville pro put in an intense 80 holes of practice across three days in mixed weather conditions at Saunton on the Devon coast to blow the cobwebs out of his game recently.
And he followed that up by jetting off to Orlando for some warm weather training around the courses of Lake Nona.
It sounds like a well-planned build up for the season ending showdown in Spain.
But Copsey insists it is purely a happy coincidence.
He said: “We always head over to America for some golf at this time of year.
“It is just fortunate that it has fallen when it did.
“When we qualified for the final we had to cut the trip short but we are heading out there a few days earlier.
“I am not a fan of cold weather and we have a friend at Lake Nona which is the reason we go.”
Copsey and his amateur partner Andrew Whitlock made home advantage pay in the qualifier, shooting a 10 under round at Enville to ease into the final of the Golfplan Insurance event.
“It was fantastic playing around Saunton. We packed in a lot of holes, but I hadn’t played for a while so I needed it.”
And it will mean a smooth switch from the heat of Orlando to the heat of Lumine Mediterranea Beach & Golf Community in Spain.
Meanwhile Andrew Willey is hoping for more of the kind of inspired play that enabled him and amateur partner Tim Parker to sneak into the final after a three way count back.
The Bulwell Forest pro said: “We were six under par standing on the 18th.
“I said to Tim we would probably need an eagle if we were going to have a shot at qualifying.
“Fortunately I hit a drive and a six-iron to three feet and rolled in the putt.
“But it meant hours of waiting and countback over the final six holes before we knew we had qualified.”
Willey went to Tour School and missed qualifying by a single stroke and was three shots wide of a top ten spot – and a place in the PGA Championship at Wentworth – at the recent PGA Play-Offs.
“Missing Wentworth was a disappointment,” he admitted.
“More so because the rest of the season has been pretty good. The fact is I didn’t really play that bad either.
“The bad shots I did hit were more down to a lack of concentration.
“But I am really looking forward to playing in the Pro-Captain Final.
“I am taking my wife Theresa and she is a good luck charm.”
Christian Atkins stood in for Radyr head professional Simon Swales, who usually heads up the pro captain team.
Now he is looking at a potential £5,000 pay day.
Atkins, who turned professional in 2009, and partner Owen Golding, shot a seven under par 65 at Bowood Golf and Country Club to win their qualifier.
“It should be a great final. I got the chance to play – but if we do well there’s no way I am giving the boss a cut.
“Owen did really well in the qualifier. It was his putt on the 18th that got us here.
“He rolled one in from around 20ft. He is a competitive guy. In his younger years he played for Cardiff RFC.
“We will play a few practice rounds over the next few weeks to make sure we are ready.”
The resort, which features two Greg Norman designs, will stage the event over 36 holes from Wednesday, November 30 - Thursday, December 1.
Included in the field will be Jason Levermore and Henry Appiah who between them fired an eight under par 61 at The Addington.
And with three final appearances in as many years – and one victory – Levermore knows he will be one of the favourites to land the silverware.
“I just go out there and try to play my best,” he said.
“If I can shoot four or five under, I know my partner will come in on some holes which puts us in with a good chance.
“Henry can play very well. He shot four net birdies in the last six holes in the qualifier which got us through.”
And Levermore admits he would love to land the title after coming so close to victory with his partner in the Lombard Trophy.
He said: “We were 11 under, tying for the lead, standing on the 18th green and we both had 15/20 footers for it. But we both missed and lost on count back.”
THE TEAMS
Bulwell Forest Golf Club – Andrew Willey and Tim Parker (a)
Channels Golf Club – Jason Levermore and Henry Appiah (a)
Enville Golf Club – Richard Copsey and Andrew Whitlock (a)
Forrester Park Golf Club – Paul Edgcombe and Andrew Sturton (a)
Kedleston Park Golf Club – Ian Walley and Richard Smith (a)
Mannan Castle Golf Club – Kevin McGivern and Lenny McKitterick (a)
Radyr Golf Club – Christian Askins and Owen Golding (a)
Shipley Golf Club – Nathan Stead and Baxter Ireland (a)
South Winchester Golf Club – Richard Adams and Malcolm Berryman (a)
Vicars Cross Golf Club – Martin O’Connor and Kenneth Close (a)
