Turkey trip in pair’s sights

Jun 4 2009 by Tim Taylor, The Journal

IT’S a long way from Burnopfield to Turkey but, with your money going further in terms of the exchange rate in a euro-free country, it’s as good a place to play golf as any.

Amateur Trevor Luke and his Hobson club professional, Stuart Ord, are now one step away from a five-day trip to the PGA Sultan course at Antalya Golf Club (pictured right) and the five-star Sirene Hotel and Beach Resort in early December.

Luke took the first step by winning the Hobson club qualifying competition in the Virgin Atlantic PGA National Pro-Am Championship with a nett 66.

A 48-year-old spray painter from Durham, Luke, who has been a golfer for five years and plays off a handicap of 15, now teams up with pro Ord for a regional final at the Fulford club in York on June 25, when they will play one round of better-ball medal play. Europe’s biggest Pro-Am competition says it draws in more than 100,000 competitors from across Great Britain and Ireland and is celebrating its 25th year. Long-haul airline Virgin have taken over as sponsors in their own 25th year.

The winning professional in each of the 16 regional finals receives £500, and there are valuable prizes for the top amateurs.

The winners of the regional finals go on to the all-expenses paid trip to Turkey for the Grand Final. The tournament has an overall prize fund of £30,000, with the winning professional at the Grand Final winning £5,000.

Also through to York are Lloyd Hewitt, a 47-year-old greengrocer from Hexham, and his pro Andy Paisley plus Robert Hume, a 63-year-old retired civil engineer from Newcastle, who will represent Prudhoe, along with pro John Crawford.

Hartlepool’s pair are Norman Holcroft, a 62-year-old teacher from Peterlee, and pro Graham Laidlaw.

Last year’s winners were from Forest Pines in North Lincolnshire, pro Daniel Greenwood and amateur James Phillips.