Formby final for Teesside golfer

A Stockton cable jointer will tee up the golfing experience of a lifetime when he plays alongside the European Senior Tour’s Graeme Bell in the Lombard Trophy.

Kevin Atkinson, 54, will head to the regional final at Formby on June 9 with his Eaglescliffe pro Bell, who will be taking a break from his packed tour schedule just a week before playing in the prestigious ISPS HANDA PGA Seniors Championship.

With more than 700 clubs taking part across 16 regional finals the Lombard Trophy, which was last year won by St Kew pair Richard O’Hanlon and Andy Jones, is the largest pro-am in Europe.

After coming through his club qualifying round Atkinson, who hits the course three or four times a week and plays off a handicap of 11, now has his sight set on a grand final over Gleneagles’ PGA Centenary Course on September 2-3.

And he admitted he has already been fine-tuning his game with the help of PGA Professional Bell.

“I’ve only recently had a couple of lessons with him to help with my bunker play,” Atkinson said.

“Graeme’s a very good teacher and I’ve felt an immediate improvement. I’m really looking forward to playing with him at Formby, it should be a great experience.

Atkinson has worked at Northern Powergrid for the last 38 years having joined the firm as an electrician.

He is also a keen cyclist although he admitted the golf, which he has been playing for 15 years, always comes first.

“I’ve not had much chance to get out and clock the miles up as I’ve been out playing golf so much recently,” he explained.

“I’ve never played in anything quite on this scale before, although I do make sure I play in as many club competitions as I can.

“I’m really made up to have made it to the regional final, it’s definitely not something I expected when I entered.

“But now we’re obviously one round away from Gleneagles and to make it there would be absolutely brilliant.”