Golf pro Andrew George confirmed his return to top form with a fine victory in the South Herts Pro-Am competition.

Ely Standard: Andrew George (Ely Golf Club Head Pro) through to final qualifying for European Seniors TourAndrew George (Ely Golf Club Head Pro) through to final qualifying for European Seniors Tour (Image: Archant)

The Ely City golfer admitted he had been through a “very ordinary” patch in the months leading up to the event, which saw him return to the practice range in a bid to get to grips with a fault in his swing.

There were signs that his hard graft was starting to pay off at the start of the month when he finished tied-third in the East Herts Pro-Am.

But George, 50, proved that he is back at his best with a one-shot triumph after a five-under-par round of 67.

The win will come as the perfect confidence booster ahead of his bid to qualify for next week’s Senior British Open.

George will head to Pyle and Kenfig Golf Club, in south Wales, from Monday, aiming to make it through to the main event at Royal Porthcawl, in Glamorgan, from July 24-27.

He said: “My game came together about three weeks ago. The previous six weeks had been very ordinary for me. I had a swing fault and was hitting a pull shot once or twice a round that was ruining my score.

“But I seem to have got through it after working hard, hitting thousands of balls on the practice ground. Winning seems like it’s a little bit of a reward for all the work I have been doing.

“It was a question of being patient and waiting for the good things to come.”

His charge to victory at South Herts began with a birdie at the fourth hole, which he followed with an eagle at the next. George conjured up a towering 205-yard 5-iron that rolled to two feet for a tap-in eagle.

Three more birdies followed alongside a solitary slip-up, although he did have to survive a late scare coming up the last.

With the adrenalin flowing, George smashed a 3-iron into a fairway bunker that was 230 yards from the tee. But he fizzed a sand wedge onto the green, made a two-putt par and that was enough for a one-shot success from Phil Abbott, from the John O’Gaunt Golf Club, in Bedfordshire.