Veteran George Ryall has struck a blow for senior golfers everywhere by becoming the oldest winner of the West Region Order of Merit, two weeks before his 50th birthday.
He proved that experience counts by clinching the title for the first time in winning the Hamptworth Championship, sponsored by Mitre Conservatories and Joinery, over the only Wiltshire course in the New Forest.
The teaching pro at Bristol's Players Club could hardly suppress his delight at earning the chance to represent the region in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth next May.
"I didn't think for one minute that I could win the Order of Merit," he said. "All that concerned me was finishing in the top three at Hamptworth so I could get into the Srixon PGA play-offs.
"This is a massive bonus and has given me extra confidence to tackle Tour School for the Seniors Tour in Portugal in November."
Ryall was the most successful Britain and Ireland player in the PGA Cup team that suffered a slender defeat to the Americans in Georgia last year. He was three shots behind first round leaders Michael Watson (Wessex Golf Centre) and his close pal Andrew Sherborne (Kendleshire) after the first round.
He dropped three shots at the seventh - a par four shortened to a par four to compensate for a forward tee to combat the wet. "I hit a bad drive and then went into a water hazard," he explained.
But he rescued the round with five birdies and made a steady charge in the second day. Birdies at 4, 6, 9, 11 and 12 rushed him through the field. Another at the short par-four 17th took him into a one shot winning lead.
He kept a close watch on his playing partners Adam Constable (Cardiff) and Paul Jones (Canford Magna).
"I was lucky to play with Adam as we spurred each other on and I managed to beat him by a shot," added Ryall. "I knew I had to finish ahead of Jonesy to finish in the top three in the Order of Merit. I missed out on third place by one shot last year."
Ryall now wants to play as much competitive golf as possible before his Tour School date.
He and PGA Cup partner Jon Bevan (Wessex Golf Centre) have qualified for the SkyCaddie PGA Fourball Championship, supported by Sunderland, at Fulford on October 1-3. Then he will compete in the Srixon PGA Play-Offs at Royal Liverpool October 21-22 alongside the other West representatives, Ed Goodwin (Cirencester) and Lee Thompson (Dudsbury), winners of the region's first two Order of Merit tournaments.