Euro Pro Tour Player & Fulwell Member
Tom Reid

First win!
Hi everyone, I’ve been looking forward to writing this blog all year. Starting feeling like it may not happen but hard work and perseverance has made it possible (and a hot putter)
Trilby Tour event at The Buckinghamshire, a very different format seemingly designed for television, but also designed to give a young or struggling pro a big break. 90 players play for a top 4 position, after the top four are decided it’s off to a three hole playoff. (Holes 10, 17 and 18)
Tee time was 08:50, trusty caddie Stew Crombie on the bag, told off by the starter for being a bit late and off we went. The course was set up as tough as I’ve seen it, not an easy pin out there and strong swirly winds made it tough to club. We had a game plan of making pars and picking off the birdies when sensible too. Worked nicely through 9 holes at -2, then a solid two putt birdie on the par 5 10th and all of a sudden the camera’s arrived. Good bit of short game and one dropped shot going into the 16th left me needing to make a birdie and two pars to finish. A PW straight down the flag ended up through the green and sat down in the rough. A deep breath and Phil Mickelson style flop shot landed 6 feet short and rolled in dead weight for a birdie. Solid par on 17 and great save on 18 for par and a round of 69. Then came the wait. 4 hours in total to see if I’d stay in the top 4, 10 or 12 cups of tea and some interviews. Finally the Tour Pro’s Phil Archer (defending champ) and Phil Golding (ex French Open Champ) finished really strongly in the last group and snuck into the play-off. In the event of a tie for 4th place a nearest pin takes place to whittle down to the final 4 (confusing I know). So that was me, Phil Golding, Phil Archer, and two others. I was up first up and nervous. Few deep breaths and made solid contact with a 6 iron landing in the middle of the green and took the last place in the playoff with the tour pro’s.
Hole one – Par 5 10th. 2nd on the tee and a wayward drive to open, it managed to stay out of trouble and I laid up with my trusty 5 wood to 87 yards. Golding and Archer hit solid drives and three woods on or around the green. I hit a great SW with no green to work with to 10 feet and holed a clutch birdie putt to tie with the Phil’s.
Hole two – Par 4 17th. Now 1st on the tee. A great hole for TV but not for my nerves (water everywhere) you can lay up or have a go. I didn’t fancy it and again knocked my trusty 5 wood down the fairway leaving me 92 yards. Archer took it on and got it just next to the green. Golding laid it up and hit a 9 iron to 4 feet. I hit a great wedge all over the pin but just went long, 15 feet for birdie and it creped by. The Phil’s again make birdie (tough school). Now one back and one hole to go.
Final Hole – Par 3 192 yards. Last on the tee and I knew what I needed to do. I knew the experienced guys wouldn’t slip up, so a birdie was the order. Much to my surprise Archer missed the green right and short sided himself to the back right flag position. Golding put it right in the middle of the green, flag high. I had some adrenaline pumping so went for the ‘smash 6 iron’; I hit a beauty under the pressure to 15 feet, game on. Archer had no shot and made bogey, Golding two putted for par so it was left to me to deny him. Great read from Caddie Crombie and straight in the back door an embarrassing fist pump and back to the same tee for sudden death.
Final, Final hole - Par 3 192 yards. My honour and a strange calmness came over; I just wanted to beat him. Same club, didn’t make a great connection and came up 43 feet short, Golding followed with not such a great shot to 41 feet on the same line.
Same calm attitude approaching the putt, I guess I was in the zone I hear players speak of, hard to explain. But I confidently told Stew the putt was going to go up the hill, break from left to right and straighten out at the hole. He said ‘ok’.  I went through my routine, struck the putt well and it did exactly what I described. 15 Feet short of the hole I knew it was in. The putter raised up pointing at the hole as it dropped in and another embarrassing fist pump to follow, everyone went crazy. Sort of thing I dreamed of as a kid. Golding hit a solid putt from what I remember, but slipped by and I looked at Stew and just laughed. A wonderful feeling, and It will certainly make for good TV. It’s being screened in October some time.  
I want to thank my mate and caddie Stew Crombie for all his help over the years. I’ll hopefully make him rich like he deserves one day. Also to Don Smith for sponsoring me the entrance fee, and being so supportive and encouraging.
Tour School beckons now, flying out to Portugal next Saturday. Head down and back to the grind. I’m going to make sure I go there fully prepared and now definitely with more confidence.

Tom

Tom Reid with the Trilby 'Winner takes all' trophy.