Sam is Chorley's comeback queen

And that decision paid rich dividends this week when she landed her first major ‘board competition’ at Chorley Golf Club – the prestigious Centenary Trophy.

Durnian, 44, took up the sport in 1999, and within five years had reached a single figure handicap, and won several honours at Prestbury.

She joined Chorley shortly after moving to the area in 2004, but eventually took a break to concentrate on her family and her physiotherapy business.

After her husband encouraged her to get back to the fairways last year, she has gone from strength to strength, and she crowned her improvement with that Centenary Trophy win with a superb nett 70 score.