Westerham PGA professional James Marshall (right) and club captain Glen McMahon. Image courtesy of Getty Images. For more images: www.gettyimages.com
[02 September] Marathon man James Marshall hit a hole-in-one as he and Westerham Golf Club captain Glenn McMahon clinched a trip to Turkey in the Lombard Challenge South B Region qualifier at Effingham Golf Club.
Biggin Hill-based PGA professional Marshall, who is in training for next year's London Marathon, teamed up with the Kent club's captain McMahon for the PGA Pro-Captain event held at the Surrey venue.
And they shot a nine-under-par round of 62, tying at the top of the leaderboard with the Beauport Park Golf Club pairing of Charles Giddins and Kim Baker but emerged winners on countback after a strong back nine. They were one shot clear of Alresford Golf Club's Philip Bryden and Ian Swann.
Marshall made the second hole-in-one of his professional career at the 13th hole while McMahon birdied the 18th. Their display earned them a place in the £25,000 Lombard Challenge Grand Final which will be held at the PGA Sultan Course at Antalya Golf Club from November 25-26.
Adrian Perkins of Cambridgeshire's Old Nene Golf & Club also scored a hole in one at the fourth hole but the day belonged to Westerham.
McMahon said: "The way James played was awesome. It was a contrast to last year when we were late for this event at Royal Ascot because we were caught in traffic and didn't have time to get a course plan.
"We put the ball in a ditch and that stopped us making a challenge.
"This time we got here early and made sure we were prepared. It's just fantastic to get to the final and play what looks like an amazing course."
Marshall added: "We were level par after the seventh. But I said to Glenn that anything can happen in golf and we finished at nine under par.
"Seven birdies put us in contention but the hole in one meant we leaped from five under par to seven under.
"It's strange how that works out sometimes, we made a steady start but then it all went right for us and we were seven under par for the last seven holes.
"I've been training for the London Marathon which I'm running for the Royal Marsden Hospital and getting fitter has helped my golf as well."
ENDS
THE LOMBARD CHALLENGE, a PGA Pro-Captain Tournament
South (B) Regional Qualifier at The Effingham Golf Club, Thursday, 01, September 2011
| Pos. | Score | Pro | Captain | Represents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 62 (-9) | James Marshall | Glenn McMahon | Westerham Golf Club |
| 2 | 62 (-9) | Charles Giddins | Kim Baker | Beauport Park Golf Course |
| 3= | 63 (-9) | Philip Bryden | Ian Swann | Alresford Golf Club |
Full results from the event at Effingham can be found at: http://pgagbi.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/pgagbi11/event/pgagbi1123/contest/1/leaderboard.htm
Visit http://www.pga.info/ProCaptainChallenge.aspx
For further information or alternative images please contact Kelly Lewis at PGA Headquarters on 01675 470 333 or e-mail media@pga.org.uk
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.
