Durham father and son John and Rob King snatched victory in the PING Family Fourball Betterball Championship Final to claim their first win together in 27 years of playing golf.
The Eaglescliffe duo scored 48 points at Thonock Park at PING’s Gainsborough Golf Club in Lincolnshire to pip Yorkshire father and son Robert and Lewis Hunt by virtue of their better back nine.
The key to the win was Rob’s fifth birdie of the day, which he holed from 30 ft on the 18th, and he said: “We are really over the moon. We have never won anything playing together.”
The competition was played for the first time last year and the Kings were third and on that occasion – losing out on second spot on countback.
The pair took up golf together 27 years ago after Rob had a knee operation and had to give up football and cricket. Back then they played together a lot, but over the years they’ve developed their own golfing circles so they jumped at the chance to have a competitive outing.
“I liked the family theme of the competition and I wanted to come and play with my dad,” said Rob, who is an 11-handicapper, while John plays off 18 at the age of 75 and manages to fit in three rounds a week.
Despite missing out on the top prize, 16-year-old runner-up Lewis Hunt had the best score of his career to date and was seven under-par on his own ball, with five birdies and a chip-in eagle.
He took up golf when he was 11 encouraged by his dad and now plays off three and is in the Yorkshire Boys B squad.
