Happy ending for Disney after Little Aston win

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Nottingham amateur Mick Disney, left, will be hoping to extend his winning run north of the border after sealing victory in the Lombard Trophy regional final and booking a trip to Gleneagles.

Disney partnered Bulwell Forest Golf Club PGA Professional Andrew Willey at Little Aston Golf Club in Birmingham to come out on top in a tight finish.

The pair finished joint top of the leaderboard with Craig Phillips and John Arshad of Nuneaton Golf Club with both teams carding a seven under par round of 65.

It meant an anxious wait for ex-European Tour player Willey - who missed out on a final spot on countback last year - and Basford-based Disney.

But this time it was countback that sent Bullwell Forest into the £80,000 final over the PGA Centenary Course at Gleneagles between September 1-2.

And Disney, who plays off an handicap of +2, is no stranger to playing in Scotland.

“Thirteen years ago I won the UK Municipal Open Championship at St Andrews,” he said.

“I won it two years in a row, but because I’d won it once, I couldn’t get the trophy a second time.

“So although Gleneagles will be a great experience, I have won up there before.

“We’d like to think we can do well, if the wind’s blowing then things might turn in our favour.”

Disney, aged 42, works as a joiner for Nottingham Community Housing Association and has played at Bulwell Forest since he was 13.

“Myself and Andrew gelled really well, it was fantastic to play with the professionals,” he added.

Willey was delighted not to endure a repeat of 12 months ago when he failed to go through.

He played in the qualifying round at Lindrick in South Yorkshire and lost on countback after again making seven under par.

“When we got to the 18th hole, we were already tying for the lead and I knew I just needed to make a putt for a birdie at the end to win,” he said.

“I said ‘just make sure of it’, I didn’t want to lose on countback for the second year running.

“But I missed it and I was really worried that the same thing was going to happen again,

“We won though so that was a relief and now I’m looking forwards to playing at Gleneagles for the first time.

“I’ve only been at Bulwell Forest for just over a year and it’s only the second time I’ve tried to get to the final.

“I suppose I’ve come out on top in both the qualifiers I’ve played in, but I didn’t want to miss out again.”