Thomas in for long haul at Formby
18/07/2016
Lorry driver Ben Thomas is aiming to move into top gear when he plays in the Lombard Trophy regional final at Formby Golf Club.
North Wales amateur Thomas will partner Holywell Golf Club professional Matt Parsley at the event which is being held at the Merseyside venue on Thursday, July 21.
At stake is a place in the £41,500 grand final, which is supported by Coca Cola and is being staged at Pestana Golf Resort in Vila Sol, Portugal, from September 22-23.
Thomas, aged 27, admitted that he would not even be playing golf if it was not for family connections.
“My father in law got me into the game,” he said.
“I’ve only been playing for about four years but I’ve got into it and my handicap is now down to nine.
“I’ve played abroad but not in Portugal so the incentive to get to the final will be a huge one.”
Thomas says he has to fit his golf in around his job which sees him on the road for much of the week,
“I’m driving the wagon most of the time during the week, so there isn’t a lot of spare time. But I like to get to the course in the evenings and weekends so I’ve been practising a lot more since qualifying to play at Formby. Hopefully it’ll pay off.”
Parsley is hoping to get to another final after qualifying for the PGA Pro-Captain showpiece two years ago in Turkey.
“That was great so it’d be nice to be able to do it again in the Lombard Trophy,” he said.
“We showed then that it could be done. And once you’ve got to one final, you want to do it again.
“Holywell is a 110-year old club so it’s good to put it on the map like that. I’m looking forward to playing in the regional final with Ben so we’re hoping we can be in contention.”
Also due to take part in the event at Formby are: Jason O'Brien and Paul Green (Widnes Golf Club); Mark Smith and Anthony Sharples (Stamford Golf Club); Simon Williamson and Antony Lowe (Lytham (Green Drive) Golf Club); Martin Brown and Peter Penticost (Delamere Forest Golf Club); and Kris Andrews and Gabriel Bagshaw (Ashton on Mersey Golf Club).
