PGA professional Stuart Kerr (right) and club captain Jim Preston (left). Image courtesy of Getty Images.
[15 November 2011], Strathaven Golf Club captain Jim Preston and the club's PGA professional Stuart Kerr head to Turkey for the final of The Lombard Challenge - having come close to pulling out of the original qualifier.
Kerr endured an injury hit first half of the year, which potentially jeopardized taking their place in the field for the PGA Pro-Captain regional qualifier at Crail in July. However, he overcame fitness issues on the day to help secured the club's place as Scotland's representatives in the £25,000 final where they will face nine other pairs from across the UK over 36-holes at the PGA Sultan Course at Antalya Golf Club from November 25-26.
Preston said: "I'm so pleased for Stuart; he's an excellent player and a great striker of the ball. He's been struggling with a back injury the past few weeks, but he also had a stomach operation earlier in the year and was in some pain leading up to the qualifier and we almost didn't play because of it. Fortunately he was fit to play in the end and we ended up winning it!"
Preston, who plays off a handicap of 12, also revealed he is familiar with the venue and hopes they can repeat their form even though the final comes late in the season.
He said: "I've played this course before and I know how good it is. It's an unusual time of the year to be playing a competitive golf event, but I'm still practicing and working on my swing in preparation."
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!
"We have seen a great deal of golfing entertainment over the qualifiers and now we look forward to heading off to the finals in Antalya to watch the pros and captains from around the UK battle it out to become this year's champions."
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.
