Ambler and Wainwright set to rediscover Forest Pines spark

Adrian Ambler (left) and Aran Wainwright (right) will look to pick up where they left off next week when they defend their Golfbreaks.com PGA Fourball Championship title at Forest Pines Hotel and Golf Club from October 2-4.

The pair from Low Laithes and Mid Yorkshire Golf Club respectively, have not played together since winning the £28,750 BMW-supported event last October.

They have both enjoyed individual success though with Wainwright winning this year’s Yorkshire PGA Matchplay Championship and Ambler taking third in the North Order of Merit which earned him a place in November’s PGA Play-Offs in Turkey.

But Ambler says the pair know each other’s game well enough to have a good chance of triumphing again in the 54-hole tournament.

“We were exempt from qualification this year so this’ll be the first time myself and Aran have got together to play,” said Ambler.

“We’re the best of friends, and we’ve both been busy at our clubs, but I think it’ll add a fresh element to our game to hopefully work in our favour again.

“We’re really looking forward to going back and defending our title, but there is probably a bit more expectancy on us as the champions.

“I would think most of the usual suspects will be trying to win it again this year so we know what we have to do.”

Ambler believes the key to winning the final is not to dwell on mistakes.

He added: “We tend to approach events like this by refusing to apologise if one of us plays a bad shot.

“No-one sets out to deliberately do that so why say sorry for it? One of our assets is that we don’t dwell on mistakes.”

Ambler added: “I’ll be keeping the season going right to the end of November with the PGA Play-Offs. That was a goal of mine at the start of the year.”

“That’s good for me if I can keep the season going and have plenty to play for so Forest Pines will be very much part of that.”

Other teams from the North taking part at Forest Pines include: Martin Beaty and Jordan Flint  (Crompton & Royton); David Corsby (Fleetwood) and Martin Edge (Hesketh);  Warren Lockett (Cleckheaton & District) and Robert Kershaw (Mirfield Golf Range); Andrew Baguley (Leigh ) and Craig Corrigan (Haigh Hall Golf Complex); and  David Astin (Woodsome Hall) and Craig Lea (Myerscough College Golf Academy).