ANDREW Cloke's prediction that he and amateur playing partner Paul Terry's score wouldn't quite be enough to win the regional final of the Lombard Trophy at Camberley Heath proved true.

The Weybrook Park duo were in the first group out, shot 61 and then waited five hours only to find they had been beaten by a shot.

"I said when we came off that we were probably one short," said Cloke. "We both lipped out at the last. The winners holed from 10ft. But that's the way it goes."

Cloke, 22, made the final last year but had to withdraw from the first round at San Lorenzo in Portugal after contracting food poisoning.

Terry, a taxi driver, was so pumped up for his first big competition that he turned up at Camberley at 6am and had to wait half-an-hour for the gates to open!

The final was won by Hever Castle's representatives - pro Peter Parks and amateur Colin Linsley.

It was Parks' idea that the pair should play for £2 a birdie that helped two-handicap Linsley through his ordeal on the final green.

"We had no idea what we needed to do to win although we knew we were doing well," said Parks, Hever Castle pro for 11 years.

"I went on a sports science course at PGA headquarters at The Belfry recently, and it was all about staying in the 'now'.

"That's what I tried to get us both to do today, and the bets helped. We were playing each other rather than worrying about winning a competition as big as this.

"It also helped that we had a practice round a week ago and that I had my first-ever hole-in-one at the second. We thought then that the gods might be with us here."

Linsley, who started with five successive birdies, won £4 off his pro partner at the end, but both will now travel to San Lorenzo, on Portugal's Algarve, for the grand final in September, where Parks has the chance of picking up a £10,000 first prize.

"That would be the biggest cheque I've ever won. Don't tell my wife or she'll have it spent before I even get on the plane to go there," he laughed.

The Lombard, Europe's biggest pro-am, is now in its 10th year and over a million club golfers have entered in that time.

"It's a great competition," said Linsley. "I used to play off scratch and turned out a few times for Kent, but I've slipped back a bit since my son was born.

"That last putt was a real test. Peter said to hit it firm and I thought I had, but it only just fell in the hole. What a great feeling though."

RESULTS:

1st: Hever Castle: Peter Parks & Colin Linsley, 60 (nett)

2nd: Weybrook Park: Andrew Cloke & Paul Terry, 61

3rd (on countback): Blacknest: Steve Cowle & Vic Bee, 62

4th: Wokefield Park: Gary Smith & Andrew Foster, 62

5th: Cranleigh: Trevor Longmuir & Simon Paphitis, 63

6th (tied): Wisley: Ronald Commans & Geoff Atterbury, 64; Banstead: Gavin Tickner & Bill Watson; Frilfoed Heath: Derek Craik & Roger Rapley; Crane Valley: Darrell Ranson & Russell Hill; Portsmouth: James Moore & Dave Gatrell.