Lilly blooms on home soil

Simon Lilly equalled the course record around his own Wellingborough Golf Club on the way to lifting the Glazerite Trophy – the second round in the PGA in England (Midlands) Order of Merit.

His record-matching eight-under par 64 handed him a three-stroke lead at the halfway stage and he kept his nerve to claim the top prize after 36 holes.

Lilly did not drop a shot during his morning round and kept that unblemished record intact during the afternoon, bagging his tenth birdie on the final hole.

“I shot eight under this morning so I had a comfortable lead,” he explained. “I thought that a steady round in the afternoon should be enough. In the end I didn’t really get going in the afternoon and never made a birdie until the 16^th.

“Obviously I know the course very well and everyone has said they were expecting me to win it but that also adds more pressure. It is such a good golf club here at Wellingborough and everyone wants you to do well.

“The course is the best it has been for a while – it’s in really good shape.”

Lilly’s ten-under par total was too much for the chasing pack. Former PGA Midlands skipper and new Glenmuir PGA champion Dan Greenwood and John-Paul Banbury tied for second on six-under after 36 holes with Ian Lyner a further shot behind.

Greenwood (Forest Pines GC) carded rounds of 68 and 70 with Banbury (Moor Hall GC) scoring a 68 and 70. Lyner (Leicestershire GC) added a 71 to his opening 68.

Lilly’s victory also lifted him up to second in this year’s Order of Merit, just five points behind Peter Baker who had taken the honours in the opening event of the year – the PTS Invitational.

Paul Streeter (Lincoln Golf Centre) and Lee Clarke (Beeston Fields GC) are currently tied in third place.

The next round is the Midland Masters at Kedleston Park in Derbyshire at the end of July.