Spencer in the driving seat to take Ashby Decoy Professional Miller back to Turkey

HGV driver Tony Spencer hit top gear to help PGA Professional Andy Miller into his second successive St James’s Place National Pro-Am Championship in Turkey.

The Ashby Decoy Golf Club pairing won the qualifying event at Harrogate Golf Club with 43 points.

Miller also qualified for the 2021 National Pro-Am Grand Final and he secured his place in this year’s prestige event once more after repeating his success at the same course in North Yorkshire.

They edged out Craig Daggitt and Lewis Buckley from Bramhall Golf Club by two points after returning a seven under par round of 62.

That means the Lincolnshire duo will play in the final, which is being held on the PGA Sultan course at Antalya Golf Club, on November 29-30.

Spencer, a former greenskeeper at Ashby Decoy, played his part despite suffering from back problems.

The 13-handicapper from Scunthorpe also admitted his game had improved since his wife started playing the game, after previously caddying for him.

“I came back into golf about seven years ago, I packed it in because of a back problem,” said Spencer.

“But now I’ve had a series of injections, I had 10 in February, now I’m playing again with my wife who’s also taken up the game.

“That’s kept me going. We play at Ashby Decoy and Forest Pines. She started playing when I had a bad game at Woodhall Spa Golf Club.

“She was caddying and said: ‘I can play like that’, so he did. She’s brought her handicap down from 45 to 20 in five years.”

Spencer was a greenskeeper at Forest Pines before taking on the same role at Ashby Decoy - which is Tony Jacklin’s former club.

But the Covid pandemic meant him looking for a new job and so he made use of his HGV licence and works locally as a driver.

He said he and Miller had little by way of scares on their way to victory at Harrogate.

“We put together a run and it all seemed to take over, at the turn we wanted to just keep it going,” added Spencer.

“But we dropped a shot at the par three 14th and then birdied the 16th. Andy had won it before, a year ago, so he knew what was needed.”

CLICK HERE to view a full list of results from the St. James’s Place National Pro-Am qualifier at Harrogate Golf Club.

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