Seymour passes Army test

Dan Seymour, Winchester Golf Academy, heads for the Open regional qualifying on Monday at Frilford Heath in buoyant mood, writes Ken Gaunt, as he’s the new Be Wiser PGA in Hampshire Strokeplay champion.

After losing a sudden death play-off to Stoneham’s Adam Hickling in the last year’s Strokeplay Championship which was also sponsored by leading insurer Be Wiser, Seymour came good this time around.

He made a triumphant return to the Army Golf Club to post a three-under par total of 139 to win by two shots from Lee-on-the-Solent’s Jon Barnes and Shanklin & Sandown’s Mark Bell, who tied second. It was a special day after his disappointment 12 months ago. When asked if it was any sweeter after what had happened here before, the new champion replied: “Absolutely!”

James Ablett, winner of the Virgin Atlantic PGA South Order of Merit in 2015, initially set a hot pace in the blisteringly warm conditions of the first round with a four-under-par 67. Seymour was four shots adrift on level par, but his game caught fire after lunch when he went out in 32 after four birdies, the only
blemish being a bogey at the fifth hole.

He then eagled the 12th after a magnificent four-iron around some trees from 210 yards that finished four feet from the pin. That took Seymour to five-under-par but successive bogeys at the 16th and the 17^th led to a 68 and left him feeling anxious.

Seymour commented: “I thought there were guys out there like James Ablett who’d be able to build on their scores in the afternoon, so I was not that confident of winning.”

He continued: “What was the key to my game? It’s a course where you have to be quite precise. The rough was a lot firmer than last year but I knew I had to keep the ball in play. I used the driver once and I only found one bit of trouble in both rounds. I was pleased with how it I hit it from tee to green.”

Seymour also won the Hampshire Patrons Young Professionals Championship from Bell. Run in conjunction with the main event, another Lee-on-the-Solent PGA Professional Jack Coulbert finished third following his splendid second round of 67.

“That was a nice bonus as it was my last chance of winning it as I turned 30 last week,” Seymour added, “and to win two trophies on the same day is very special.”