Levermore revelling in BMW PGA showpiece

Jason Levermore (above right) can’t wait to tee up in this week’s BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth where last year he fired a hole-in-one (above).

The head PGA Professional at Channels Golf Club in Essex got his first round off to a flying start, acing the par-3 second hole with an 8-iron.

That master-stroke set Levermore on course for an opening 70 and helped him make the cut for the second time in the European Tour’s flagship tournament.

“I just flushed it,” said Levermore. “It was out of the middle of the bat, straight down the flag, landed about five foot in front of the hole and just trickled in.

”Your sole aim when you go there is to get off to a nice, steady start – two or three pars to start and try and work your way from there. To get a hole in one on the second and be two-under through two just then made the rest of the day a lot easier.”

As well as the thrill of executing the perfect shot in exalted company, Levermore also began to think his ace had won him a £100,000 BMW M6 Gran Coupe – as indicated at the time by the European Tour’s official Twitter account.

A friend, with a reputation for being a joker, was following him around and showed him the tweet. Initially, Levermore was a little bit sceptical before hearing that other media coverage was reporting the same story.

However, unfortunately for Levermore, the car was on offer for a hole-in-one at the par-3, 14^th – not at the second. The player was only informed after he’d completed his round.

“It was a bit of a let-down,” said Levermore, reflecting on the moment of realisation.

Even so, Levermore is glad to have a European Tour hole-in-one to his name and can dream of producing similar magic on his return to the renowned West Course.

He earned his spot in the elite field by finishing fifth in the Titleist PGA Play-Offs at Antalya Golf Club in Turkey last November.

His good form has continued, especially this month in which he has won pro-ams at Hendon and Toot Hill. Those successes have left him in a positive frame of mind before the €4.75million tournament.

He said: “I’m playing well going into the event. If I carry on playing the way I am and capitalise on it on Sunday, I feel like I can do really well at Wentworth.

“I think it suits my game. One of the strongest parts of my game is driving and I think Wentworth is a driver’s course.  You’ve got to get it on the short stuff. That’s why it bodes well for me as you need to get it in play off the tee.”

One thing is guaranteed, Levermore and his caddie-coach – and fellow PGA club professional – Paul Bate (Brett Vale) will make the most of their week.

The pair arrived at Wentworth on Sunday and have rented a nearby cottage for the week.  

He said: “I can’t see how you can go and play an event like that and not enjoy it. I absolutely love it…I can’t wait, it’s just a buzz.

“Last year, Rory McIlroy (above) rocked up five yards behind us on the range and started practising. So we just put the clubs down, sat behind him and watched him hit balls for quarter of an hour. It’s brilliant being in that atmosphere.”