KELVIN'S GREAT EXPECTATIONS

Rushmere (Ipswich) pro’ Kelvin Vince will be hoping the birth of his wife’s first child isn’t premature; otherwise the luxury trip he won on Friday (May 13)) could be in some jeopardy.

Kelvin, along with amateur partner Buster Larkins, fired a five-under 67 to win the East Region qualifier for the Lombard Trophy, Europe’s biggest pro-am. But the five-day trip to the Algarve for the 36-hole Grand Final, in mid-September, is just four weeks before Kelvin’s wife, Jemma, is due to give birth.

"This could be a problem," admitted 31-year-old Kelvin. "But if everything’s going OK I’d hope to be able to go. We’ll just have to see how things develop – in more ways than one!"

Larkins, a 19-handicapper at the club, made good use of his strokes, adding four net birdies to the four picked up by the professional, and, as befits a painter and decorator, he provided a fine gloss finish with net birdies at the 17th and 18th to clinch victory.

Kelvin’s great shot of the day came at the par-5 13th, where he risked firing his tee shot over an avenue of trees, and then struck a five-iron 185 yards to the green for a two-putt birdie. But in the strong winds they ran up three bogeys, and the scoring was higher than in any previous qualifier at the Norfolk course.

There was again sympathy for host pro’ John Reynolds, who, for the third time in six years finished as runner-up, this time with 18-handicapper, Mike Futter.

"I knew when we finished that four-under wouldn‘t be good enough," said John. "We both had putts on the last that would have given us the win, but neither of them dropped." Leading scores:
67 – Rushmere (K Vince, R Larkins 19)
68 - King’s Lynn (J Reynolds, Futter 18), Brampton (A Currie, G Holsgrove 11),
Bungay & Waveney (A Collison, M Hills 6)
69 – Fynn Valley (P Wilby, N Denny 5 ), Gog Magog (L Pearce, G De Wolff 4)
70 – Rookery (M Elsworthy, M Harvey 5), Seckford (S Jay, I Bedford 16), Oakmere
Park (M Brown, D Marriott 18)
71 – Elsham (S Brewer, P Cole 15), Thetford (G Kitley, M Horley 9), Barnham
Broom), Waltham Windmill (S Bennett, G Dick 20).