Ben is finally top of the world after sealing Portugal spot

Worldham Golf Club amateur Ben Homewood wiped out the disappointment of 12 months ago to secure a place in the Lombard Trophy final in Portugal.

Last year, Homewood partnered PGA professional Steve Cowle and the pair missed out on victory by one shot at Walton Heath Golf Club.

But this take they returned to the Surrey venue and made sure they topped the leaderboard with an impressive 10 under par round of 62 after finishing with four birdies in a row.

Cowle and Homewood will now represent the Hampshire club in Portugal for the £41,450, Coca-Cola and Pestana Resorts supported, National Pro-Am grand final which will be played at the Vila Sol resort in the Algarve between September 20-21.

Homewood, who is also the greenkeeper at Worldham, admitted he was determined to go one better this time after coming so close before.

“It was nice to get across the line this time rather than see someone steal it away after we’d been leading for a good couple of hours,” said 26-year-old Homewood.

‘This time, I wasn’t getting exciting until the last group came in, I just thought someone was going to beat us. We were waiting for a couple of hours and I just wanted it to be worth it, you wondered if someone had an 11 under par out there.

“Four teams came in at nine under par, including one that we’d played with so that was a really good group with two teams going for the top spot.”

Homewood also sunk what turned out to be the winning putt on the 18th hole.

“To do that when I’d left a few short out there was very nice, it was a lovely feeling,” added the 15 handicapper from Dockenfield in Surrey.

Cowle admitted it was a tense finish to their round.

“We were up against the team who finished second - from Donnington Grove - and Ben holed a 20 foot putt at the 18th hole when we knew it was either them or us going through,” he explained.

“That was excellent and we’d been geed up by the fact that the contest was right there in front of us.

“It’s the first time I’ll have played in the final after being tied for second spot last time. Ben was all for making sure he played again this year.”

THE LOMBARD TROPHY

PGA Regional Final at Walton Heath Golf Club, Tuesday, July 17, 2018
 
Pos   Score      Professional/Amateur           Representing

Q1    62 (-10)   Steve Cowle/Ben Homewood     Worldham Golf Club
2      63 (-9)     Russell Berry/Ben Beacham       Broadway Golf Club
                       Tom Fleming/Aaron Henry         Donnington Grove
                       Lee Cooper/Brian Watts             Tilgate Forest
                       Stuart Boyle/Suraj Patel            Wentworth Club