ROB Edwards, one of Hampshire's top golfers, has landed his "dream job" just in time for the New Year.

The former European Challenge Tour player is to succeed John Richardson as the club professional at Lee-on-the-Solent.

Richardson, father of former Ryder Cup player Steve Richardson, is retiring after 34 years at Lee.

Edwards applied for the job and, when the Lee committee gave him the thumbs up, he said: "This is the club job I always wanted.

"I first joined Lee as a member in 1985, was an assistant there between 1993 and 1997 and always dreamed of going back one day. I knew that if and when John retired, I'd be the first to apply for his job."

It was while he was at Lee as an assistant that Edwards went off to play on the European Challenge Tour and scored his finest win as a tournament professional in the Danish Open.

He also finished second in the English Challenge Tour Championship the following year and, although he left the Challenge Tour two years ago for a more secure life back on the club circuit, he has remained one of the leading players on the Hampshire PGA.

Lee, apparently, are keen for Edwards to go on flying the flag for the club on the county circuit, but he said: "I'll have to wait and see how it goes.

"First of all I need to look at my commitments at Lee like the shop and the teaching side of the club so it's likely that I will have to curtail my playing a bit."

Edwards, who is a former Hampshire PGA captain, had a good grounding for the Lee job after two years as the professional at the Portsmouth Golf Centre.