Webster ready to unearth top form

Alastair Webster is ready to dig for victory when he tees off at the Senior PGA Professional Championship this week.

The Edzell Golf Club PGA professional returns to the Northants County course to try and better last year’s third-place finish in the £35,000 tournament which will be held from May 15-17.

And for Webster, the Midlands venue will make a change from his home club in Angus, which is currently undergoing a redesign.

“We’ve got the diggers and earth movers in at the moment to try and make the course even better,” he explained.

“The architects are at work and we’re bringing it up to date for our members. We have some ‘blind’ holes that we’re improving and some of the bunkers are being repositioned because they are obsolete now as people are hitting the ball further.

“We have a waiting list for members and we want to make sure we keep up with modern trends.”

In terms of his own game, Webster believes he is improving year on year in this event and wants to keep up the fine record of Scottish players after Peter Smith won it two years ago.

“I do feel that the more I play this course, the more I become accustomed to it,” he said.

“That has shown in the last two years when I went from top 30 to top three.

“It is a very tough course but I know the venue a lot better now and I’ll certainly be aiming to win if I can.

“Scottish players seem to do well in this event so I hope I can keep that going.

“Playing with the seniors is something I look forward to and it’ll certainly make a change from the young bucks I’m normally up against!”

Other players taking part at Northants County include former champion Bill Lockie (North Gailes Golf Centre), Keith Baxter (Buchanan Castle Golf Club), Campbell Elliott (Haggs Castle),  PGA Cup player Fraser Mann (Musselburgh),  Duncan Williamson (Kirkhill) and Alan White (Lanark) with the top 20 finishers also earning a start in next month’s ISPS HANDA PGA Seniors Championship at De Vere Mottram Hall from June 6-9.

Last year’s champion Paul Wesselingh is now playing full time on the European Senior Tour so won’t be back to defend his title.