ANY old iron would seem to be an appropriate phrase to link with Boughton Park golfer Paul Matthews who triumphed in one of the regional finals of the Jameson-Golf World Champion of Champions event at Hollingwell GC, Nottinghamshire, this week.

The two handicapper shot a level par 72 including a hole-in-one on the par three ninth to claim victory and book a place in the grand final at Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire later this month.

The Jameson sponsered event pits club champion against club champion with the aim of finding the best in the country.

Matthews' feat was all the more remarkable because he achieved it with a brand new set of clubs that he was barely familiar with and that he'd picked up just days before the regional final.

One can hardly imagine Tiger Woods or Colin Montgomerie preparing for the Open in similar circumstances but it worked splendidly for Matthews, who was Boughton club champion last year and third this time round.

"I'd broken a sand wedge on a tree and went to replace it with just the intention of buying one club but the bloke at the shop talked me into buying a new set of clubs and I left with more than I'd bargained for," said Matthews.

"It's the first new set I've had for 20 years so I suppose I was due a change at some point anyway," he added.

Matthews' father Roy, a past seniors captain at Boughton Park, caddied for his son at Hollingwell, an Open qualifying course, to make it a real family affair and provided invaluable support as Paul hit 17 out of 18 fairways in regulation.

With his new irons in the bag and a recent best gross score of 65 in a monthly medal, Matthews will go to Woodhall Spa for the Champion of Champions finals on August 26-27 with a great chance of victory.