Pictured above: Simon Hill (far left) and the other
category winners collect their prizes at the MercedesTrophy UK
Final from Wilfried Steffen (centre), Managing Director,
Mercedes-Benz UK and Ian Dutfield, Marketing Director,
Mercedes-Benz Cars
A Leicester golfer has teed up the chance to represent the UK in
the climax of the world's largest amateur golf tournament.
Simon Hill will take part in the World Final of the
MercedesTrophy next September in Stuttgart, Germany - the home of
the motor manufacturer - after winning the UK Final held at St
Andrews in Scotland, where he recorded the "round of his life".
The 21-handicapper romped to victory with a 20-point winning
margin in the 20-plus handicap section of the Stableford
competition and will now be part of a threesome representing
Mercedes-Benz UK in the World Final against players from more than
25 nations.
Simon, who plays at Cosby Golf Club, played two rounds in
Scotland on the Kingsbarns and Castle courses as part of an
Inchcape Mercedes-Benz team - his vehicle management company, Total
Motion, is a corporate customer of the group's Leicester
retailer.
"I have never hit the ball so sweetly or so straight as I did
during the first round at Kingsbarns, where I opened up with two
birdies and finished with a score of 47 points that equated to a
gross score of 77," explained Simon. "Having secured a 12-point
lead after the first round, it was just a matter of keeping my game
together the following day.
"I went into the final with a bad back but just said to myself
to go out and do my best," he added. "I'm proud of myself that I
managed to do just that and it was an incredible feeling to walk
off the final green knowing that I had played consistently well
over 36 holes."
Simon's participation in the MercedesTrophy began with his
involvement in the Inchcape Mercedes-Benz golf day at Little Aston
Golf Club in Birmingham from which he progressed to a tournament
regional final at Burhill Golf Club in Surrey. He then qualified
with a fellow Mercedes-Benz of Leicester customer - Barry Gisborne,
a member of Kibworth Golf Club - for the trip to Scotland.
However it wasn't only Simon's performance on the golf courses
of St Andrews, where Inchcape won the team prize and Franchise
Director Peter Eaton finished first in the dealer host competition,
that provided him and the rest of the party with much enjoyment.
They also played a fun round with Michael Vaughan and Duncan
Fletcher, the former captain and coach of the England cricket team
respectively, were treated to dinner at the Old Course Hotel
overlooking the 17th fairway of the historic St Andrews course and
attended a gala prize-giving ceremony at Glamis Castle, where the
evening ended in style with a traditional Scottish pipe band.
"It was an amazing few days from start-to-finish that also
included our team winning the team prize and Inchcape's Franchise
Director, Peter Eaton, finishing first in the retailer host
competition," added Simon. "Princess Anne was in the foyer of our
hotel when we checked in and at breakfast on the day of departure
Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie was sat on the next table.
"The organisation and hospitality provided by Inchcape and
Mercedes-Benz were so good that I can safely say it was the best
trip that I have ever been on," he continued. "I'm already looking
forward to next year's World Final, which will include six days in
Germany with my partner and the chance to win the MercedesTrophy
for the UK for the first time in the competition's 21-year
history."