JOHN Twissell fired a super level par round of 71 at Hesketh to qualify comfortably for the final of the Glenmuir Club Professional Championship.

The Clitheroe professional finished just outside the play-off spot in the regional final, won by Bill Fletcher of Southport Municipal.

His one-under-par round of 70 was matched by Didsbury's Peter Barber and Stephen Bennett of Swingtime but he prevailed on the third hole of sudden death.

Twissell was in with a chance to win the qualifier but he three-putted both 15 and 16.

"I'm pleased to qualify. In the end I held on well," he said.

"Last year I qualified and played all four rounds and that's the goal this year as well.

"When you're in a qualifier you have no idea how everyone else is doing - you just do the best you can."

Alongside Clitheroe captain Robert Hindle, an 11-handicapper, Twissell takes part next Tuesday in the prestigious Volvo Pro-Captain Challenge which has a prize fund of £2,500.

The format is fourball betterball and 18 teams have qualified.

"I haven't played Wentworth before but I'm told there's quite a bit of room," added Twissell.

"Myself and Robert are obviously looking forward to it."

The top 19 in the Club Professional Championship qualified for the final which takes place at Northop Country Park, near Chester in June.

Neither Jeff Mathews of Blackburn Driving Range nor Nigel Sumner of Nelson will be there. They finished tied 33rd (three-over-par 73) and equal 62nd (eight-over-par 79) respectively.

Burnley golfer Paul Carman, professional at Huddersfield and Pleasington's Ged Furey are automatically through to the final.

The Glenmuir Club Professional Championship offers a prize fund of £75,000 with £9,250 going to the winner as well as a year's use of a Volvo S40 and valuable qualification points for the 1998 PGA Cup team to face the USA.

Last year's championship, the premier event in the club professional's calendar and started in 1973, was won by exiled Scot Bill Longmuir of Stonyhill Golf Club.

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