Shirland in hunt for more silverware
24/07/2013
Shirland Golf Club has a chance to add to its blossoming silverware collection after newly-installed PGA Head Professional Tim Stevens (right) and amateur Keith Cornish (left) secured the club a second successive year in a PGA final.
Having won the PGA Pro-Captain Challenge last year, Stevens and Cornish have the chance to add to Shirland’s collection of PGA national titles after cruising to an emphatic three-shot victory in the Lombard Trophy regional final at Little Aston.
The win, which will see the pair compete against 15 other teams in the £43,600 grand final at Gleneagles over September 3-4, comes just four months after Stevens joined the club and a year after 50-year-old 16 handicapper Cornish returned to the game after a 30-year break.
They blitzed their rivals as they carded an impressive 11-under-par 61, with both players playing their part in their success over the tricky West Midlands course.
It was the first time Stevens had played in the tournament, which was first competed for in 1979, having previously been an assistant at Kedleston Park. And the 33-year-old certainly picked up some playing tips from his last two bosses - European Senior Tour high-flyers DJ Russell and PGA stalwart Paul Wesselingh.
“It is the first time I have been able to play in this and I’m really pleased and excited to be going to Gleneagles in a few weeks for a late summer outing,” said Stevens.
“This is my first head pro’s job having been an assistant before this under DJ Russell and Paul Wesselingh, who are having incredible success on the Seniors.
“I’ve been in the job four months and the club and the members have been fantastic. It’s a club that’s moving forward. I have also been reminded of the success last year in the Pro-Captain event, so qualifying for the final of the Lombard Trophy keeps alive the possibility of another trophy.
“Keith played his part with an incredible front nine that saw him go round in a nett 28, including a birdie on the second and nett eagle on the par five third. He was solid on the front nine and I came in on the eighth and went on and got more birdies on the back nine.”
Between them they carded two eagles, eight birdies – including a trio from the 15th, and just one dropped shot on the 13th.
Father-of-two Cornish, a director of an electrical wholesale company, revealed that it was only turning 50 that inspired him to take golf back up again – and now he finds himself poised to play on the PGA Centenary Course – host of the 2014 Ryder Cup.
“It’s absolutely fantastic - I couldn’t ask for anything more. I’ve heard Gleneagles is rated the best in the country and as we’re playing on the Ryder Cup course I just hope they don’t put us off the same tees,” he said.
“I used to play years ago and then studying, work and family took up my time and it was only as I approached 50 I thought it was a case of now or never.
“I’ve been playing a year and I don’t think I’ve played as well as I did on that front nine. But then the pressure started to tell as our score got better and that’s where Tim was so good as he came in on the holes I didn’t.”
