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Geoff Pilkington marked his return to golf after a life-threatening illness in the most spectacular fashion.

The 76-year-old from Southport struck a hole in one with his very first shot after spending the last two years fighting cancer.

Pilkington was playing at Southport and Ainsdale Golf Club with his son Derrick when he stunned onlookers with a perfect shot off the first tie.

European Tour professional Tommy Fleetwood watched in amazement from a nearby putting green and jumped for joy as the ball rolled into the hole.

Pilkington, from Butts Lane in the seaside town, couldn’t believe that he had scored the first hole in one of his career on his return to the course.

Geoff believes his late brother Roy, who passed away in December, was watching over the course and helped guide the ball in.

“I hit the ball and Tommy Fleetwood screamed ‘it’s gone in the hole!’,” said Geoff.

“I didn’t believe him until I got up to the hole.

“I lost my brother Roy three weeks’ ago and I’m convinced he guided it in.”

Pilkington, a member of Park Golf Club, was playing at S&A as a guest of his son Derrick and on the par three first hole he struck the sweetest shot of his career with a six iron.

And in golfing tradition, Geoff bought everyone a drink in the bar afterwards.

“It cost me over £100 but I wasn’t bothered,” he said.

“I’d hit a few balls on the range with my granddaughter the week before but hadn’t been very good. I asked myself ‘what’s with me here?’.

“I got to the first tee, everybody was watching, and I was nervous. I was shaking like a leaf.”

Geoff was playing in The Jack Nicklaus Millennium trophy, an annual stableford competition for a group of members, friends and guests who play over the Christmas period.

The first hole played about 165 yards on the day Geoff struck the perfect shot.

There was a strong cross wind with a difficult pin position and other players said they hadn’t ever played in such conditions before, as winds were gusting up to 50-60 mph.

The wind was so testing that from a field of 64 players the top score was only 30 points, which was returned by two S&A members, with Tommy Keighley winning on a back nine card play-off from Ian Rich.