PGA professional James Marshall (left) and club captain Glenn McMahon (right). Image courtesy of Getty Images.
[15 November 2011], A Kent PGA professional will take time out from his London Marathon preparations to play in a prestigious national PGA tournament.
Westerham Golf Club head pro James Marshall teams up with club captain Glenn McMahon in the final of The Lombard Challenge at Turkey's Antalya Golf Club. The pair won their qualifier for the PGA pro-captain event on countback at Effingham Golf Club in September and will now face nine other clubs from across the UK in the £25,000 event which is being staged over 36-holes at the PGA Sultan Course from November 25-26. Marshall, who is running the London Marathon to raise money for the Royal Marsden cancer treatment hospital, has been passing on some advice to his partner while he hopes his own fitness will prove an asset in the final.
"Glenn's been ruling the roost at the club ever since we qualified. I've passed on a few tips to him and he's been playing well," said Marshall. "He's actually playing more than I am as I'm still in training for the London Marathon and also swimming a lot. But when it comes to playing golf, that's a big help, you've only got to see the guys on Tour now, they're all super fit. I hope it all works in our favour, but I've said to Glenn that I just want us to be in contention when we get out there."
McMahon meanwhile is relishing the opportunity to represent the club in Turkey having not realized quite what an achievement reaching the final was.
"I was a bit blasé at first until I heard James on the phone later - I've never heard him so excited about anything before. It didn't sink in with me until a couple of days later but all I can say is that I'm glad I didn't realise I needed to hole that decisive last putt on the 18th at Effingham to book our place in the final."
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.
