Glenmuir Icon Sunderland Icon Macwet Icon
Back to articles

Simpson and Lyons Set Camberley Standard

West Berkshire's Paul Simpson was in sparkling form when he shared first place at Camberley Heath in the PGA South Region qualifier for the Glenmuir Club Professional Championship.

22 April 2004 1 minute read Simpson and Lyons Set Camberley Standard

The 33-year-old Newbury pro' fired a super 66, six under par, to tie with Paul Lyons from Sweetwoods Park, and then win the sponsors' crystal after a card count-back. Both had inward 31's but Simpson's 21 for the last six holes was a stroke better than Lyons. They'll now spearhead the South Region's challenge in the 72-hole championship at Southport & Ainsdale in mid-August.

 

The leading 18 finishers from 100 starters at Camberley will tee up in the £78,000 championship on the Lancashire coast, where the winner picks up £10,000. In addition victory brings a guaranteed place in the Great Britain & Ireland team to play the United States in next year's PGA Cup, the club professionals' version of the Ryder Cup, at The K Club near Dublin.

 

Simpson, who played in the match in Colorado in 1998, is determined to make the team again. The highlight of his round was an eagle three at the 513-yard ninth, where his three-iron second shot landed 25 feet from the hole - and his putt found the middle of the hole.

 

An inward half of 31 was garnished with four birdies and no dropped shots, but he felt his stroke of the day, to save par at the short eighth, was a 30-yard lob wedge from an awkward hollow to three feet, which kept his momentum going.

 

Lyons, only recently appointed as the South Region captain, was pleased to have "rolled in a few decent putts."

 

He, too, marked an eagle three on his card, at the 509-yard third, where his two-iron second shot landed 12 feet from the hole. He also struck a brilliant two-iron into the breeze at the 211-yard 11th, and found the middle of the cup from seven feet.

 

In what was effectively his first competitive outing of the year, the East Grinstead-based pro', who played the European tour in 1996, compiled six birdies in addition to his eagle, offset by dropped shots at the seventh and eighth holes for halves of 35 and 31.

RECENTLY VIEWED