A wet final day failed to dampen the spirits of Alex Belt and Mathew Webb who were singing in the rain after clinching the Golfbreaks.com PGA Fourball Championship at Carden Park.
The duo again proved a cut above their rivals at the Cheshire resort with an eight under par 64 giving them a four stroke victory and a cheque for £5,500 in the SkyCaddie and BMW supported final.
It was a second national PGA title for Bedlingtonshire Golf Club-based Webb who two weeks ago lifted the PGA Assistants’ Championship.
The pair’s friendship dates back to playing in Spain and also travelling on the PGA EuroPro Tour circuit and Belt paid a generous tribute after his partner’s efforts in the tricky conditions.
“Mathew was the star of the show today, without a doubt. I was just there as a bit of support and to tend a few flags,” said Belt from Snainton Golf Centre.
“It was one of the best performances I’ve ever seen him play, especially with the weather as well. It wasn’t very pleasant, the rain didn’t lessen and there was no point putting the brolly up after five holes because you were already as wet as you were going to get.”
While the champions began the final day with a three stroke advantage they were kept on their toes by the Scottish pairing of James McGhee (Whitehill House) and Mark Hillson (Kilconquhar Castle) who made a scorching start with five birdies in six holes and reached the turn in six under.
However it was just one better than the leaders who hit the acceleration pedal again with a Webb eagle on the 574-yard par five 13th and birdie on 14 which effectively sealed victory.
“We had a shaky hole on 11 but we managed to get a par out of it and then I eagled 13 and that was kind of pressure off and then birdied the next and it was almost we had so much of a lead that we didn’t need to make any more birdies so we stopped making them,” said Webb.
“It’s a special feeling to win another national title and great to share it with Alex this time so it’s been a good couple of weeks.”
McGhee and Hillson couldn’t sustain their early charge playing the back nine in just one under but their 65 was enough to secure the £3,700 cheque for second prize.
One stroke adrift was Beeston Field’s Lee Clarke, who put up a stout defence of his title with Channels Golf Club’s Jason Levermore – the pair carded a 66 to end 23 under for the 54-hole tournament.