Sparks fly at Little Aston

A lightning quick start on the front nine sparked a day to remember for a Worcester electronics engineer as he sealed a dream ticket to 2014 Ryder Cup venue Gleneagles.

49-year-old Shawn Thomas, right, and his Worcester Golf & Country Club PGA Professional Graham Farr sealed three birdies and an eagle over the first nine holes to ensure they topped a low-scoring field in the Lombard Trophy regional final at Little Aston.

The duo eventually finished with a nine-under-par round of 63, one clear of second-placed pair Robert Macey and Jack Weiss of Norwood Park.

For amateur golfer Thomas, the win was the perfect way to mark a first visit to the West Midlands venue.

The Worcester-born 15 handicapper has been a keen golfer since he took up the sport while working for the RAF.

Yet he looked to Farr for the experience necessary to guide them to the £43,600 final at Gleneagles on September 2-3, just days before the Ryder Cup visits the same venue.

“It’s incredible, I didn’t expect that from the start of the round but I think we both just played really well on the day,” Thomas said.

“We’ve only known each other for a couple of months but we’ve obviously been able to come here today and get a really good result.

“It was my first time here but it was such an excellent course and it made for a really good day.”

“I think that was key,” Farr added. “We discussed each shot at a time and Shawn had the ability to go out there and carry the plan out.

“That will be something we will look to do next at Gleneagles, we’ll be looking to take it as it comes and not go in with too many expectations – if you add expectation you add pressure.”

For Farr, father to rising Challenge Tour star Oliver, this appearance will be his fourth in the final of Europe’s biggest pro-am.

“Yeah this will be a fourth appearance in the final, so I hope that by now I know what it takes to do well,” he smiled.

“I think the best way for us to prepare will be for us to just have a couple of games. We’ve talked about our strengths and weaknesses we just need to go out there fulfil our potential.”

“I’m in safe hands,” Thomas added, “Graham will advise me on the best places to hit it and I will do my best to hit it there – but we go there with no expectations and the aim of doing the best we can on the day.”