DAVE Grimshaw has some risky tactics in the Observer Golf Shield - but it works for him.

The Accrington golfer has reached the last two finals - but they have both gone to the wire after he has been trailing all the way around before going ahead for the first time on the extra holes to clinch the coveted Shield.

He did it last year to see off Chris Nuttall after teenager Nuttall had led all the way through the game until the first extra hole.

And 49-year-old Dave did the same in this year’s re-arranged final on Friday against Andy Lewis having to claw his way back from three-down to leave it late and win on the second extra hole at Baxenden Golf Club.

"It’s brilliant to win it twice but it was hard work out there," said Dave after a gruelling couple of hours.

"I was three down after 11 holes and I did think it was curtains for me. Andy was playing so well.

"I was talking to Andy about it and I parred the first nine - and against anyone else I would have been beating them.

"But Andy was three under par on the first nine and he played some fantastic golf. You can’t take that away from him.

"Then he let me off on the 12th and he had a bad corner to be honest and I got it back to all-square. And it was nip and tuck after that.

"I thought I had won it a couple of times and then he made some stunning shots to keep himself in the game.

"I began to know how Chris Nuttall felt last year when Andy just kept producing really good shots to keep him in it - I did it to Chris - and I did begin to think it was going to by Andy’s day.

"Then it was my first birdie on the 20th and it was over - and it was just a huge sense of relief.

"Winning the trophy twice means a lot and I am looking for a hat-trick next year although it might be harder if the rules change to full handicap rather than three-quarters. We shall have to wait and see."

Andy, who looked so much in control on the front nine, admitted he would be reliving some of his shots over and over again.

"I feel gutted. Despite everything, I still could have won it on the 18th. I am disappointed to come so close," he said.

It was always going to be a competitive final between good friends Dave, who plays off five and fellow Accrington GC member Andy, 50, who plays off six.

There was a sizeable crowd following them around the course despite the final being rearranged following a waterlogged course on Sunday 7 September when it was orginally scheduled for.

And Andy started well winning the second hole, then he got a birdie on the fourth with the next four halved until Andy birdied the ninth and went three-up.

Andy almost went four-up on the 10th and that could have been "curtains" in Dave’s words but he managed to claw a shot back.

However, by the 11th Andy then again took command and went three up with a fantastic shot off the green into the hole and he, and caddy Paul Biggins - a former Observer golf winner - looked delighted.

But then the 12th was the beginning of Andy’s downfall. He went into a bunker while Dave kept calm to get it back to two down.

Then, on the 13th, Dave feared the worst as his tee-shot dropped near the wall into the wet but he was given a drop shot and got in the hole in three.

Andy, however, had a bad second shot - scuffing the ball across the green and down the other side - and he was suddenly only one-up.

And, by the 14th, it was all square after Dave again won the hole.

From then on, it could have gone either way. Both seemed to get themselves out of trouble on a couple of holes and then, on the 17th, Dave was lined up to take the hole.

However Andy then produced a superb shot from about four metres out to halve the hole and keep it all square going into the 18th.

A sizeable crowd had gathered around the par three final hole and it was in Andy’s hands after a good tee shot. However he left himself a lot to do with his short second hit.

Still he had a chance of winning the title with his third shot after Dave missed the hole and he was just an inch away from victory as his ball rolled just wide.

"The second shot let me down," said a dejected Andy.

So it was to the first extra hole and neither again gave an inch with Andy having the pressure to hole the ball to make sure he stayed in the tournament - and again he pulled off a superb shot to take it to the second extra hole.

It was getting dark and it was left to Andy again to putt to save the game - but his luck ran out as he narrowly missed and Dave clinched the title for the second time.

"It was just about the day," said Dave. "Both finals have been really hard - but I still enjoyed them!"