One of the most active members on the Volvo Masters Amateur UK Tour, Phil Bailey received his reward with the second hole-in-one on the circuit in the space of a month, holing his tee shot at the 193-yard Par-3 9^th hole at Little Aston, the first of his career.

Bailey, an 18 handicap golfer from Branston Golf Club in England and in his fourth season as a regular on the Volvo Masters Amateur Tour recalls, “I had chipped-in from a bunker at the 6^th hole, so I knew it was my lucky day, and when I stood on the 9^th tee, I chose my Ping Rapture utility club and hit a good looking shot.

“But with a raised bunker in front of the green, I only saw my green-marked Pro VI ball bounce, and when I got to the green, I could not see my ball, so thought it had gone through the back.

“I looked and looked and got frustrated, but my playing partner Darren suggested I look in the hole, I thought he was crazy, but there it was, my first hole-in-one and there was some jumping, whooping and high-fives,” recalled the man who only took up golf when his rugby career ended and he watched Europe win the Ryder Cup at The Belfry in 2002.

The ace-in-the-pack then romped home to a six-point victory with 41 points to book his place in the Volvo Masters Amateur UK Final and the prospect of a second appearance in the World Final, having finished sixth in Spain back in 2007.

“To qualify for my fourth Volvo Masters Amateur UK Final is a dream,” said the Volvo V70 driver, adding, “Bring on the World Final.”

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