A GOLF club captain from the North-East has said winning a national competition was so emotional, it was like they had won the Ryder Cup.

A squad from Consett and District Golf Club were crowned men’s champions of the recent Mail on Sunday Classic in Spain.

Ten members of the club, aged 21-47, have been playing monthly games throughout the year at courses across the region and in Scotland.

Last week, the squad visited El Rompido where they beat Porter’s Park from Hertfordshire in the semi-final and South Staffordshire 3-2 in the final.

Club captain Gary Elliott, 55, from Blackhill, near Consett, said: “It is absolutely fantastic. The lads who have been playing are all category one golfers and one or two of them have represented the county.

“I have never see so many grown men emotional as when we got word that we had won the trophy. They have all said it is the best thing they have won in golf.

“It is like winning the Ryder Cup.”

As well as a crystal trophy and blue banner with National Gold Champions written on it to keep, the club will be allowed to display a winners’ trophy for a year.

Mr Elliott said it was biggest achievement in the club’s 105 year history.

He said: “To be classed as the best team in the British Isles is just fantastic.

“It is the biggest competition the club has won. It was a team effort.”

The team’s youngest player, James Newton, 21, led the fightback to beat South Staffordshire 3-2 in Spain.

The Wolverhampton rivals had beaten a strong Kenwick Park team 3½-1½ in the semi-finals and looked to have the advantage early on in the final of the team event.

Newton was three down after six on the North Course but launched a late assault after his captain gave him a few words of advice at the 12th.

Newton then birdied the 14th, 15th and 17th holes to win the round two and one.

He said: “I didn’t enjoy the first 12 holes.

“The first two birdies got my momentum going. It means a lot winning for the lads and being the best team.

“This is the biggest thing I’ve achieved by a long way.”