PLEASINGTON pro Ged Furey and amateur Geoff Wilson cruised to a six shot victory in the Lombard Top Club Trophy Final at San Lorenzo, Portugal.
The duo began the final day with a two shot lead over Rushcliffe professional Chris Hall and Douglas Thornton, but a final round 64 for a 17 under par total of 127 earned them a comfortable win and the title Lombard Top Club of Great Britain.
Wilson, a 53-year-old joiner from Brinscall, was clearly emotional playing the last at San Lorenzo and said afterwards: "My mum, Doris, died a couple of weeks ago and the last thing she said to me was how proud she was and how we had to come out here and do our best.
"I don't know if she was watching, but coming down the last it just all got to me and I felt the tears starting.
"It has just been a fantastic experience."
Wilson, playing off seven, did all the damage in the opening holes with a birdie two at the second to move them to 10 under and a nett birdie at the fourth to mvoe to 11 under and a two shot cushion over the challenging Rushcliffe pairing. Another birdie from Wilson at the par three fifth from 15 feet, matched by Thornton, moved them to 12 under while a Furey birdie at the sixth took them to 13 under and three ahead.
A mistake by Hall at the seventh when he thoought his partner had a shot for a nett par and failed to tap in for his four meant they walked off with a bogey and they were now four shots behind.
Hall, who is still £15,000 short of his European Tour card and had given up a slot in the European Open to play in the Grand Final said: "I just had a mental block. It was a stupid mistake and was really the turning point of the whole day."
Pleasington turned in 31 to be 14 under and maintained the challenge throughout the back nine. Their only dropped shot of the tournament came at the 12th, but they were still four shots ahead of their nearest challengers and two birdies by Furey at the par three 14th and par five 15th gave them an unassailable lead.
Hail and Thornton, meanwhile, were making sure of second place with a run of birdies from the 13th and eventually finished with a 68 for a total of 11 under 133. The team from Weston Super Mare professional Paul Barrington and amateur Mark Wait finished in third on 134.
Furey, who collected a cheque for £4,000, said: "This has been my best performance of the year. It is a wonderful golf course which really inspires you and Geoff played great all week. He has been a great partner."
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