Paul joins golfing royalty

Pro golfer Paul Streeter is looking forward to being one of the youngsters after earning a coveted place on the PGA European Seniors Tour.
Sleaford-bred Streeter turned down an offer to play football for Lincoln United before concentrating on golf EMN-180514-101009002Sleaford-bred Streeter turned down an offer to play football for Lincoln United before concentrating on golf EMN-180514-101009002
Sleaford-bred Streeter turned down an offer to play football for Lincoln United before concentrating on golf EMN-180514-101009002

With just five Tour cards up for grabs at final qualifying, the former Sleaford Golf Club player faced four high-pressure rounds in Portugal.

But despite the intensity of the situation, he played consistently well to shoot one-under for the tournament and finish third, earning the right to play against a host of Major winners and Ryder Cup stars, including Jose Maria Olazabal, Ian Woosnam, Colin Montgomerie and Paul McGinlay.

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“There were only five tour cards available, and if you finished sixth you got nothing, so there was a lot more pressure than qualifying for the European Tour.

“I was up there all the way, but I was very nervous coming down the last few holes.

“I knew I could bogey the last two and still get through, but it was probably the most nervous I’d been. I wouldn’t want to go back there!”

Streeter will play all 19 Tour events, starting in Denmark on June 1, living out of a suitcase for the bulk of the year while zigzagging his way across Europe.

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Stop-offs in South Africa, Mauritius and the Seychelles are also part of the schedule.

Despite being the new kid on the block, Streeter is aiming high, targeting a win and the Rookie of the Year title.

But the primary goal will be a top-20 finish in the order of merit which offers automatic qualification for next season and a means of avoiding a dreaded return to Q School.

“It would be nice to get a win under my belt and finish in the top 20,” he added. “But it’s all new ground to me so I don’t know exactly what to expect.

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“If you finish in the top five on Tour School you know you can handle the pressure, and I definitely feel I have the game.

“I still love the game and I’ve probably practiced harder at the start of this year than I ever have done.

“I’m hitting the ball lovely at the moment and playing nicely.”

The novelty of being a fresh-faced 51-year-old among the pack of over 50s is just one of the aspects Streeter is looking forward to.

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“I started playing golf when I was 16, I turned pro when I was 30 and got my Tour card when I was 33 so I’ve never been a youngster on the Tour before,” he explained.

“It’s going to be fun to play alongside some big names. I think I’d most like to play alongside Woosie (Woosnam) because he makes the game look so easy and plays at a nice brisk pace, and Ollie (Olazabal) to watch his short game because it’s amazing.”

While stepping slightly into the unknown, Streeter did get a taste of what’s to come after qualifying for the Seniors Open Championship at Porthcawl last year.

He celebrated making the cut in atrocious conditions by shooting the joint-lowest third round score while teeing off with former US Masters champion Larry Mize.

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“It was probably some of the worst weather I had ever played in, but I enjoyed the experience,” he said.

“I played in the Open at St Andrews in 2010 and the Seniors version was definitely more relaxed.”

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