BARRY Taylor won the Lancashire PGA Matchplay Championship for a record fourth consecutive time at Royal Lytham and St Annes.

But despite clocking up 14 assorted victories this season the 30-year-old Houghwood assistant professional won't be satisfied until he achieves his ambition of playing on the European Tour.

"I know precisely what I have to do get there," he said after dispatching Haigh Hall's Craig Corrigan four and two in the final. 

"And the answer lies not on the golf course but in the gym where I'm going to spend most of the winter. The only way I can expect to compete at a higher level is to improve my distance and that means building myself up."

Taylor realised his shortcomings after failing to clear the first qualifying hurdle at The Oxfordshire for next month's Tour School in Spain.

But he had no problems at Lytham where he drove well and kept the ball out of trouble, although he was staring defeat in the face against Sean Doherty in the semi-finals. 

Two up with three to play, the Bury assistant lost the 16th to a birdie then double bogeyed the last two holes.

It was his second disappointment of the season after finishing joint second in the James Brearley Lancashire Open two months earlier.

Corrigan earned his spot in the final by beating West Lancashire pro Chris Crowder by two holes.
   
JJB Sports MEN women's champion Rachael Goodall, from Heswall, has been selected for the girls' team for the annual match against the England boys at Woodhall Spa a week tomorrow.

And Mere's Gina Brown, a double winner of the MEN title, has reached the final of the Daily Telegraph Championship in Abu Dhabi for the second year running. She is among seven qualifiers who include Wilmslow prodigy Nikki Dunn.

DE Vere Carden Park, which boasts two championship courses, has been ranked 30th in a poll of the top-50 places to stay and play in Great Britain and Ireland. The Cheshire estate also received the highest marks in the north west.

DERBYSHIRE won the National Alliance Championship for the John Dowd Trophy at Woollaton Park by seven points from the hosts Nottinghamshire.

Tweet