Dukinfield PGA professional David Green. Image courtesy of Getty Images.
[15 November 2011], Warburton has been having chipping lessons with the club's PGA professional David Green who he partners in The Lombard Challenge in Turkey. The pair earned their place in the PGA Pro-Captain Tournament after winning their qualifier at Dunham Forest Golf Club in August and will now take on nine other clubs in the £25,000 final which will be held over 36-holes at Antalya Golf Club's PGA Sultan Course from November 25-26. And Warburton believes he and Green have nothing to lose - so they plan to go for it!
Warburton, who is a safety manager, said: "David is a tremendous player and we have to feel as if we have a chance of winning. I've been taking lessons from David and he's been trying to improve my chipping. I've played with him in club events and we enjoy a laugh but we'll be taking this seriously, it's a tremendous opportunity."
Warburton, who has been playing golf for 29 years, admits he is proud to be representing the Manchester club in Turkey.
He added: "This is one of the best things I've ever done playing golf. It's highly prestigious and a great honour to be involved. No captain or professional from Dukinfield has even been involved in anything like this to my memory."
Warburton revealed their participation in the final has created plenty of interest among Dukinfield club members.
He added: "A lot of people at the club have been supporting us and asking about the final. A few of them have even come up and asked me if it's going to be on the telly! They're very proud and it's a proud moment for the club."
For Lombard meanwhile, the PGA Pro-Captain event has been a welcome return to golf following their long association with the PGA National Pro-Am Championship.
As managing director Alexander Baldock explained: "Having previously enjoyed a very successful relationship with the PGA in sponsoring the PGA National Pro-Am we were confident that partnering with the PGA to present The Lombard Challenge, a PGA Pro-Captain Tournament, would be an exciting initiative to be part of and one that we are very proud of too - and it has proved just that!
The Lombard Challenge, a PGA Pro-Captain Tournament
2011 Finalists:
| Club | Professional | Captain |
|---|---|---|
| Northampton | Nick Soto | Keith Heard |
| Westerham | James Marshall | Glenn McMahon |
| Malden | Rob Hunter | Terrence Higgins |
| Dukinfield | David Green | Steve Warburton |
| Marriott St Pierre | Craig Dun | Alan Beach |
| Ashbourne | John Dwyer | Martin Farrell |
| Downes Crediton | Barry Austin | Tony Cockayne |
| Shirland | Ian Walley | Paul Robinson |
| Strathaven | Stuart Kerr | Jim Preston |
| Mundesley | Ryan Pudney | David Crosby |
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.
