St Kew book Gleneagles spot in last gasp thriller

Cornwall amateur Andy Jones reached the Lombard Trophy final at Gleneagles after a dramatic finish at Burnham & Berrow Golf Club.

Jones, left, teamed up with St Kew Golf Club PGA Professional Richard O’Hanlon to card an eight-under-par round of 63.

But O’Hanlon, who reached the PGA Pro-Captain Challenge final last year, needed to sink a nail-biting putt at the 18^th hole to make sure the duo booked their trip to Scotland.

O’Hanlon did it - with the ball just dropping into the hole after looking like it would fall short.

It meant they pipped James Hannam and Peter Forster, from Bath Golf Club, and Darren Murphy and Adam Cook, from Warwickshire’s Stonebridge Golf Club by one shot at the Somerset venue.

The pair will now play in the £43,600 final over the King’s Course at Gleneagles between September 2-3 - just three weeks before the Ryder Cup is held at the same venue.

And for 41-year-old building worker Jones, who plays off a handicap of 17, it will be the first time he has ever played north of the border.

“My wife’s from Ayr but I’ve never played in Scotland before,” he said.

“It was a fantastic day, especially when Richard made that putt at the final hole.

“We had a blistering front nine, but we knew we had to make par at the end.”

Jones, who lives five minutes from his home course, is in his third year at the club after taking a break from the game.

“I can be from home to the first tee in five minutes!” he said.

“Richard’s an excellent professional and he teaches my children as well so I’m delighted for him.”

Midlander O’Hanlon, who once had European Tour player Robert Rock as his assistant, admits his form has come together over the last 12 months.

“I’d never had a sniff of a final until last year, now it’s two in a year,” he said.

“I’m fifth in the Order of Merit as well, so I want to get to the PGA Play-offs, but the form has continued into the Lombard Trophy.

“The putt at the end was just like last year in the Pro-Captain event.

“I told Andy we had to make that last 15 footer as we wouldn’t have won on countback, it was the difference between winning a trip to Gleneagles or getting a golf bag.”

O’Hanlon switched clubs this year after being at The Point at Polzeath last year.

“This is a reward for the owners at St Kew, the Browns - Johnny and Faye - who’ve built the club up from scratch,” he said.

“They actually tell me to go out and play more, not less. They’ll be coming up to Gleneagles so I thank them for their support.”