Doug Arnold has become only the second golfer to successfully defend the English men's seniors' championship after his success at Frilford Heath.

Now the Copthorne ace fears he might never again use the club which helped him to the trophy.

A closing round of 72 yesterday, easily the best of the day, saw Arnold, who is 56, finish on 218, level par, four strokes clear of his playing partner David Lane.

The only other player to ever defend the title, Crewe's Roy Smethurst, finished third this time on 226 after a 75.

Arnold admitted: "When I arrived here this week I just wanted to compete. I didn't want to make a fool of myself.

"I broke my driver during a practice round and borrowed another from the club professional.

"It worked a treat and now I'm going to see if I can do a deal."

It was a rather less tense finale for Arnold than last year, when he won by a single shot in windy conditions on Merseyside.

He has only been able to enter the seniors event for the past two years but has had a long and distinguished golfing career, including England appearances and a spell as a professional.

Arnold recently scored his fourth triumph in the Sussex Seniors Championship and has come back successfully from a shoulder problem which sidelined him earlier this year.