Carrickfergus do their homework to make sure of Turkey spot

Carrickfergus Golf Club’s pre-event preparations paid off as they sealed a place at the Golfplan Insurance PGA Pro-Captain Challenge final in Turkey.

Captain Duncan McLeod, left, teamed up with PGA Professional James Orchin to win the qualifying event at Roganstown Golf & Country Club in Co Dublin.

And the Northern Ireland duo dominated to card a 10-under round of 61 to finish three shots clear of their rivals.

They admitted they had set out to win after doing their homework for the event by playing the first nine holes of the course the day before.

Orchin and Macleod will now go to the £25,000 grand final, supported by Canopius, at the PGA Sultan course at Antalya Golf Club, Turkey, from November 26-27.

Six-handicapper McLeod believes their attention to detail paved the way for victory.

“It certainly helped us judge the speed of the greens,” said McLeod, 51, a supervisor at Bombardier Aerospace in Carrickfergus.

“I thought if we could get to something like five-under-par early on then we’d stand a chance.

“It’s been an excellent day for the club.”

McLeod, a member at Carrickfergus for 14 years, also feels the success came at a good time for the Co Antrim club.

“We’re trying to get more juniors into the club at the moment, numbers have been dwindling,” he added.

“So something like this raises our profile.

“I’ve been told the facilities in Turkey for the final are superb, everyone I’ve spoken to raves about it.”

Orchin felt Carrickfergus were in with a chance from the start.

“I really wanted us to win this and we began playing with that in mind,” he said.

“We had a couple of bogeys early on. But once we started getting some birdies as well as a couple of nett eagles, then we knew it was on.

“We just thought we could either turn up and go home with nothing, or play to win.

“I thought seven or eight-under-par would do it, but the longer we went on, the things we wanted to happen happened! It was that sort of day.”

Orchin believes more clubs should target this event.

“It’s the first time we’ve taken part and we said a while back that we should do it,” said Orchin.

“I think every PGA Professional should be going to their captains and making them aware of it.

“It’s a great day and look what’s possible if you play well. This will do the club no harm at all.”