Clive packs a punch at Burnham

Amateur Clive Bicknell (right) with professional Chris Gill.

Former boxer Clive Bicknell delivered the knockout blow that sent Newquay Golf Club into the Lombard Trophy final in Portugal.

Amateur player Bicknell teamed up with experienced Newquay PGA professional Chris Gill for the regional qualifying event at Burnham & Berrow Golf Club in Somerset.

And it was Bicknell who holed a crucial putt to secure an 18th hole birdie. That turned out to be the key moment as the Cornwall duo won the event by just one shot after carding a six under par round of 65 in windy conditions.

That edged out Stuart Disney and Will Waddington of Mendip Golf Club and the St Kew Golf Club pairing of Richard O’Hanlon and Scott Chandler.

Gill and Bicknell will now head for the £41,000 National Pro-Am grand final taking place in the Algarve at the Vila Sol resort between September 21-22.

And for Gill - who has represented Great Britain & Ireland in the PGA Cup - it will be a debut in the final.

Bicknell, aged 47, comes from a family of golfers, but only took up the sport himself 10 years ago.

“I wasn't expecting this because there was such a strong field there, but I’m delighted,” said the Newquay-born six handicapper who owns a window fitting company.

“I missed a few putts which annoyed me, but then I made the winning putt which tickled me!

“I have a golfing family, we have county champions and things like that. But I used to box at amateur level and I got too old for that so I took up golf.”

Gill said it was the pair’s strong back nine that lifted them top of the leaderboard.

“We got on a bit of a run and made five birdies on the back nine which was a feat in itself as it’s never an easy course to play,” he explained.

“At the 18th, I had a look over at the scoreboard and we were five under par. It was Clive who made the birdie and I wondered if I should tell him that we could do with it going in! But I decided not to and he put it straight in.

“Now we’re looking forward to going to Portugal. It’s one of the very few things with the PGA I haven't done! I’ve played PGA Cup, won Order of Merits and regional stuff but I’ve never got through to the Lombard Trophy final so I’m chuffed.”