Bebb confident of defending Welsh title

Sion Bebb is hoping he has found his A game at the right time to achieve what is something of a rarity in the history of the Welsh National PGA Championship.

There have been just nine successful defences of the title since the tournament was first contested in 1904 and Bebb is looking to take the tally into double figures after lifting the trophy at Celtic Manor last year.

And should he do so, he will become only the second after the late Sid Mouland to achieve the feat twice.

He first won the title at Southerdown in 2005 and made a successful defence at Tenby 12 months later.

Until recently, however, he rated his chances of following suit this year as remote, especially after what’s best described as a mixed bag of displays in the Titleist and Footjoy PGA Championship at Little Aston.

He followed up a level par opening round with one of seven-under before signing off with a four-over-par 76 to finish tied 22nd.

It all came right, however, the following week in the second round of the Players Championship at Cumberwell Park.

But only after he headed for the range after a two-under-par round of 69 left him languishing down the field.

“I usually jump in the car and head for home after a round,” he explained. “But i was so unhappy with my game I spent 10 to 15 minutes on the range working on a few things.

“I was getting stuck, leaning far too much to the right and hitting poor shots. Only my putting was saving me.”

The time was clearly well spent as Bebb, who represents Morlais Castle, responded with a nine-under-par 69 in the second round to win the tournament.

“It’s a pity the tournaments weren’t reversed and I went into the Little Aston event in that sort of form. Hopefully I’ve found it at the right time for Ashburnham.”

In terms of the venue, Bebb was runner up to Stephen Dodd when the Welsh National PGA Championship was played there in 2001. His memories of the tournament are clouded by a momentous event across the Atlantic.

“It was the day of 9/11 and I was driving home when it was all going off,” he recalled.

“As for the course itself, it’s a great one to play but if the wind blows it can be a monster."