Sam Parsons warmed up for another crack at the county championship title with a marathon five-hole play-off as he claimed the Waterlooville Open for the first time on Sunday.

Parsons, who won the Sloane-Stanley Challenge Cup two years ago in front of a large crowd of fellow Blackmoor members to beat four-time county champion Ryan Henley in a tense and high quality final, was unavailable for Hampshire’s first two league matches of the season.

While Hampshire were losing narrowly to Kent on their travels last weekend, Parsons was left to prepare for his return to the club where he played as a junior with future Amateur Champion Scott Gregory, more than 15 years ago.

Parsons was thrilled to claim the victory – but after outscoring all but one of the field, he found himself up against North Hants’ in-form Rob Wheeler in the play-off after the pair carded three-under totals.

Parsons had fired a splendid 68 in the morning but as the greens dried out in the hot weather, scoring was tougher after lunch and the Southsea-based landscape gardener signed for a one-over par.

Wheeler – who won the Delhi Cup in a play-off at Hockley last month – had shot a six-under 66, to lead his playing partner Parsons by two shots at lunch.

Scoring proved harder in the afternoon and a redraw saw Wheeler play the second round with Hayling’s 2020 county champion Rich Harris, the former Portsmouth FC Academy striker.

Parsons came home in 73 to post a three-under total, but Wheeler had dropped four shots before making a birdie on the last – he almost holed his eagle attempt – to tie with Parsons.

The three-hole play-off ended all-square as Parsons birdied the first, parred the second, but bogeyed the final hole leaving Wheeler to miss a six-footer to take the trophy, after two pars.

Both made pars at the first, second time around – now in a sudden-death – but both players found trouble off the tee on the third, their fifth extra hole.

Parsons found the pond and made bogey from the front edge in three, while Wheeler’s poor drive also left him in the water. But his approach went long, and a chunked chip left him with a 15-footer for a five that slid by to hand Parsons the title.

Parsons was pleased as punch – despite the gruelling 41 holes in the heat – as he was greeted by his young son Milo, who has seen his dad win three major trophies in the past three seasons since he was born.

The 34-year-old, who began life as a junior at Southsea GC where his mum was the junior organiser, before his move to Waterlooville, was happy to pose for pictures with his partner Sammy and their son.

Parsons said: “It’s the best feeling in the world for a golfer to win a tournament and then be smothered by your son, who is so happy because you are so happy.

“He’s started playing golf already and he’s not even three. He is hitting his plastic clubs in the house, and he is outside bashing up the garden, or asking me if we can go to the driving range.

“Milo absolutely loves golf, and that’s good for me because when I take him to the range I can also hit some balls.

“I am really looking forward to having another chance to win the county championship this weekend.

“I missed out on qualifying for the matchplay at Shanklin last year on countback. I wasn’t in the best mood in the clubhouse. I wanted to put on a good defence of my trophy.

“But I had a pint with the boys in the clubhouse, and they cheered me up and told me not to be too hard on myself.”

By Andrew Griffin