Levermore and Steed take Lombard Trophy

Jason Levermore and his amateur partner Ben Steed from Channels Golf Club, Essex, have defeated Nottinghamshire’s Bulwell Forest duo of Andrew Willey and Mick Disney to win the Lombard Trophy at Gleneagles. Level at the start of the second round on seven-under, parity remained until Levermore and Steed moved ahead on the back nine. Birdies at the 14th and 15th holes followed by an eagle at 16 proved decisive, as they posted a second successive seven-under-par round of 65 to finish 14-under for the week.

It gave the Essex men a three stroke lead, but Willey, a former European Tour player, and Disney, who plays off plus one, responded with a birdie at the 17th to reduce the deficit to two. However, Levermore and Steed parred the last hole to win Europe’s largest pro-am and a £12,000 cheque. Levermore goes on to compete in the PGA Cup in California later this month.

Willey and Disney are regular partners, but not so Levermore and Steed. Levermore commented, “We hadn’t played together before this year. This is only the second time we’ve played together. We haven’t had time to have any practice either. We just rocked up and got on with it. Obviously it hasn’t done us any harm – we helped each other all the way round and gelled really well.”

This was the third successive year Levermore has been party to victory in one of The PGA’s national tournaments. He has previously won the PGA’s Fourball Championship twice and also the Pro Captain Challenge. By contrast, Steed, who plays off 14, is a relative newcomer to golf. “I’ve only been playing for four years and for this to happen to me after such a short time playing the game is amazing,” he said. Final scores at: http://pgagbi.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/pgagbi15/event/pgagbi15253/index.htm

Pictured from left: Ben Steed and Jason Levermore