PLAYGOLF Colchester professional Simon Betteridge rolled back the years at the Senior PGA Professional Championship.

The former European Tour touring pro from Great Horkesley was in fine form at the national tournament in Surrey, where he finished tied for 41st.

Betteridge battled it out with some of Great Britain and Ireland’s leading PGA professionals aged 50 and over at the event.

And a fine first-round display helped the qualified PGA pro – who once played in the Open Championship at Lytham St Annes in 1988 – shine.

“To finish 41st in a national event was very pleasing,” said Betteridge, who works as a sales adviser and custom club fitter at American Golf in Colchester.

“I had a great first round and made the cut which was my main objective and was tied 20th after the second round.

“On the second day there was torrential rain and by the third round I was exhausted.

“I’d prepared very hard for it but by the end, I was mentally fatigued.

“But it’s opened a few doors and I’m hoping to qualify for the Senior Open Championship, at the qualifying event which is back at Foxhills in July.”

Betteridge got off to a flyer in good conditions on the Bernard Hunt course, firing himself up the leaderboard on the opening day.

The 52-year-old shot three birdies and six pars on the front nine and added a further birdie on the back nine, to post a first-round par score of 73.

Torrential rain played havoc with the second round, with a huge downpour hampering players’ efforts.

But Betteridge still managed a second-round six-over-par score of 79 to become one of 59 players to make the final round.

He then shot 82 in the third and final round, to finish on a very respectable nine over par.

Betteridge, who first started playing golf in 1973, played on the PGA European Tour for two years in the 1980s.

It saw him rub shoulders with the likes of Nick Faldo, Colin Montgomerie and Davis Love III.

Betteridge is now hoping to qualify for this year’s Senior Open Championship, which takes place at Sunningdale in July.

“I work full-time, have a family and I only play golf once a week these days so it was harder to play at an event like this but golf is still my passion,” he added.