Eaton's Joe Conway is celebrating his first major individual win after he scored victory in Sheringham's prestigious 36-hole open for the Deterding Cup.

Conway has proved himself to be a notable foursomes player – with a County Foursomes win and other successes to his credit – but until now individual honours have eluded him.

'It was absolutely fantastic, a case of 'Wow, I've actually landed one,' said Conway, who had the additional satisfaction of cutting his handicap from four to three.

It was something of an unexpected win for Conway, who has a young family of a three-year-old daughter and a year-old son.

Golf has taken a back seat over recent years and his handicap, once almost scratch, had climbed back to four for the first time in a decade. It prompted a review of his golfing ambitions and a series of lessons with Sprowston Manor professional Guy Ireson.

'I still don't play very much, but I've earmarked when I'm playing and then it's all or nothing,' he said.

At Sheringham, he aimed for the centre of all the greens, rather than the pins, and enjoyed the fun and the challenge of the testing winds. The result was scores of 75, 76 and, crucially, net results of 71, 72 which won the cup.

They also earned him precious points in the Norfolk amateur order of merit and, after playing in only one of the first two events, he is currently sixth in the scratch table and second in the handicap.

Now his golfing targets for the year include finishing in the top 16 and qualifying for the 2012 matchplay championship.

'I've only played in it once and that was the first year it was held,' he added. 'I went out in the first round so it would be nice to go back.'