A holed chip on the final hole was the flash of inspiration for camera expert Wes Davies, as he clinched an all-expenses trip to Spain and a place in the grand final of A Taste of Costa Brava.
Davies, a five-handicapper who owns Cranleigh-based business Camera Repair Direct, captured his moment in the qualifying event at Cranleigh Golf & Country Club with 41 Stableford points.
But it was his chip-in from beside the 18th green which proved to be the vital development as he won on countback from his nearest rival and his Spanish trip came into sharp focus.
The 39-year-old said: “I got my handicap down to four, but then it started creeping up by 0.1 every time and was off six. It was literally the first round I had shot under my handicap for months.
“I just played really well on the day. I was one under par on the front nine, then let a couple of shots go, holed a long putt on 15 and then chipped in on the last, so it was a great feeling when I knew I had won.
“I’ve played out in Spain before but never played in the Costa Brava – it looks unbelievable and I can’t wait to get out there.”
Situated 100 kilometres north of Barcelona in a region nestling between the foothills of the Pyrenees and the waters of the Mediterranean, the Costa Brava enjoys average annual temperatures of 16.5Cᵒ and offers an array of first-class golf experiences in a natural and unspoilt environment, including the world-class PGA Catalunya.
Davies joins fellow club qualifiers Keith Price (Rowland's Castle), Peter Griffin (Golf At Goodwood), Clive Prior (Bush Hill Park), Jim Henderson (Foxhills), Justin Galloway (Lee-on-the-Solent), Simon Mortlock (Burhill) and Kevin Burt (Dummer) in the battle for the coveted trophy.
Jaume Marin, marketing director of Costa Brava Tourism, said: “Congratulations to all of our winners. We look forward to welcoming them to the final in the Costa Brava where we will crown our new champion. It is the second year of the tournament and we believe it will grow to help continue to promote the destination for golfers in the coming years.”
For more information about playing golf in the Costa Brava, visit golf.costabrava.org