Hunt defies back pain to win at Lansdown

“Beware the injured golfer” may be the oldest cliché in sport but 22-year-old Welshman Toby Hunt from Cardiff club St Mellons certainly fits that category.

Despite recurring back trouble and almost daily chiropractor sessions he manages to play through the pain and even discovered top form to break the course record in winning the Lansdown pro-am at Bath.

After retaining the Marstons West Region PGA Assistants Championship he crossed the Severn Bridge again to produce the round of the day and set a new mark of seven-under-par 64 with two halves of 32, making seven birdies and not dropping a shot.

He finished a shot clear of former PGA champion Scott Drummond who is enjoying his first tilt at regional golf. He eagled the 297-yard fourth and also made five birdies on his first visit to the course.

Lee Thompson (Dudsbury) threatened to take the course apart after making five birdies over the opening eight holes to be out in 30. But he dropped three shots in rapid succession before finishing with two late birdies to take third on 66.

Adam Frayne (Yelverton) and Ross Langdon (Gloucester) were fourth on 68 while seven players shared sixth. Only four more broke par on a perfect low-scoring day that started with heavy showers but dried out to leave receptive soft greens.

Three talented Lansdown juniors dominated the club’s first West PGA pro-am for six years by winning the team prize by six shots.

Charlie Taylor-Madge and club champions Joe Long and Amelia Matthews helped by Dorset professional Mark Wiggett (Dudsbury), returned an outstanding score of 24-under-par 118. It was the lowest team total posted in the PGA in England and Wales (South West) this year.

Bristol Golf Centre’s Giuseppe Licata was second on 124 helped by Lansdown members Martin Watson, Paul Bowker and Steve Pearce. Scott Drummond, a past winner of the PGA Championship at Wentworth, was third on 125 partnered by home members Steve Maddison, Barry Frayling and Dan Nicholas.