Image of competitors during the 2011 Lombard Challenge final at Antalya Golf Club attached for free use courtesy of Matthew Lewis at Getty Images.
[26 January 2012], Turkey's acclaimed PGA Sultan Course will again stage the grand final of The Lombard Challenge, a PGA Pro-Captain Tournament from December 7-8.
The David Jones designed course at Antalya Golf Club on the shores of the Mediterranean successfully hosted the £25,000 event last year where it drew fulsome praise from competitors.
The prestigious final will be contested by 10 pro-captain partnerships decided at 10 regional qualifiers taking place across the UK in August and September with more than 500 clubs expected to enter.
It will be the sixth successive year PGA Sultan has staged a PGA national final and its burgeoning reputation is set to be further enhanced in 2012 when it also welcomes the world-renowned Eisenhower Trophy.
Andy Hart, managing director of Large Corporate & Specialist Asset Finance at Lombard, commented:
"We were thrilled with the outcome of the first Lombard Challenge tournament which took place in 2011, and look forward to even more exciting, entertaining, and hopefully some nail-biting golf in the final in Antalya later this year."
"Having the challenge final take place at the PGA Sultan Course is fantastic for the tournament and a great reason to encourage even more entries this year."
Simon Higginbottom, PGA head of tournaments, said: "The inaugural Lombard Challenge was a superb event thanks in no small part to the picturesque surroundings at Antalya and the wonderful PGA Sultan Course which is just getting better and better each year.
Ugur Buduk, golf coordinator for Akkanat Tourism which represents Antalya Golf Club as part of the Sirene Beach and Hotel Resort, said: "Being chosen to host last year's Lombard Challenge final was an honour, so to be asked to have the same event for a second year is a thrill.
"This shows Antalya Golf Club is on the right track and I would like to thank Lombard and the PGA for selecting us again and our employees for their hard work."
Lombard Challenge, a PGA Pro-Captain Tournament
2012 Regional Qualifiers:
- MIDLAND - Kedleston Park, August 3
- WEST - Cumberwell Park, August 6
- WEST - Woodbury Park, August 13
- EAST - John O'Gaunt, August 15
- IRISH - Roganstown, August 20
- SCOTTISH - Crail (Craighead Links) August 24
- SOUTH - Heythrop Park, August 28
- SOUTH - Effingham, August 30
- NORTH (East) - Huddersfield, September 3
- NORTH (West) - Dunham Forest, September 7
ENDS
For further information please contact Nathaniel Sylvester at PGA Headquarters on 01675 470 333 or e-mail media@pga.org.uk
Visit http://www.pga.info/ProCaptainChallenge.aspx
Visit www.PGA.info for up to date reports and scores throughout the season from The Lombard Challenge and all PGA tournaments
Note to Editors
Lombard is part of The Royal Bank of Scotland Group. As one of the largest asset financiers in the UK and voted Best Leasing & Asset Finance Provider by Business Moneyfacts in 2009, 2010 and 2011, Lombard provides various forms of asset finance to businesses of varying sizes – from SMEs to large corporates. Products include Hire Purchase, Finance Lease, Operating Lease, Sale and Leaseback, Contract Hire, to Contract Purchase, as well as multi-specialist asset finance products such as marine, aviation and specific wholesale and stocking funding for distributors and dealerships.
Celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2011, Lombard is headquartered in Redhill, Surrey, with an extensive network of business centres situated throughout the UK, and is an appointed representative of The Royal Bank of Scotland plc, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.
