Ashbourne's John Dwyer will be back on the silverware hunt when he competes in the PGA's final event of the season - the Virgin Atlantic PGA National Pro-Am Championship.
Dwyer, runner-up in the event last season with Shane O'Brien, will join forces this time with amateur partner Fran Meehan as one of 16 teams from across Great Britain and Ireland that will compete for the prestigious title in Turkey, starting at the weekend.
The tournament is being staged for the third successive year at the Sirene Golf & Beach Resort in Antalya, with the 36-hole final played over the PGA Sultan Course at Antalya Golf Club.
Former PGA Professional champion Dwyer and eight-handicapper Meehan, who qualified at Laytown & Bettystown on the back of an impressive 10-under-par 61, jet off to the Mediterranean resort on December 6 for five days, which will include staying at the all-inclusive Sirene Hotel and a gala dinner at its five-star sister hotel the Kempinski Dome Hotel.
Dwyer returns eager to go that one step further than last year as he and his partner missed out on the title by three shots.
"I was second last year and once you've experienced it you want to go back," said Dwyer.
"The better-ball format is one where you don't quite know what it's going to bring but it's certainly a target to win."
As well as the title there is a £30,000 professional prize fund at stake.
This is the 25th staging of the final, which is being sponsored for the first time by Virgin Atlantic, which is also celebrating its silver jubilee and is a keen supporter of golf.
"Virgin Atlantic is very happy to be working closely with the PGA to explore ways of building customer commitment through value, quality service and memorable experiences," said Paul Wait, General Manager Sales, Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd.
"This is our first year of association and our aim is to continue to have golfers and all those in the business think of Virgin Atlantic as their preferred airline for long haul golf destinations. It's one of the reasons why we let golfers carry their clubs for free!
"Our association with the business of golf has many synergies- we attract people from all walks of life, we combine business with pleasure, we provide a variety of wonderful destinations and we both have customers who get hooked and relentlessly come back for more."
30 November, 2009