Chef eyes Gleneagles treat

A Porthcawl chef will aim to cook up something special when he plays in the regional final of Europe’s biggest pro-am.

Gavin Davies, who has a handicap of eight, has qualified to play in the Lombard Trophy at Burnham & Berrow on July 23.

The 27-year-old, who has been playing golf since he was nine, will play alongside PGA Professional Leon Warne, above, from Grove Golf Club, Porthcawl, for the chance to compete in the £43,600 grand final over Gleneagles’ King’s Course on September 2-3.

The life-long Cardiff City supporter plays golf three times a week, often around some of South Wales’ most prestigious courses including Royal Porthcawl and Southerndown.

Yet he admits that playing in the Lombard Trophy will be an altogether different challenge.

“I’m really looking forward to it,” he enthused, “even though I’m perhaps not playing as consistently as I would like to be at the moment.

“I felt my golf was really good before the club qualifier, particularly my short game which I managed to keep nice and consistent.

“But that’s tailed off a bit now so I’m going to have to improve again if we’re going to finish near the top.

“I’d be chuffed to bits to get the chance to play at Gleneagles, although I know it will be really tough to get there – I’ve never played there before and it would be nice to have the opportunity to go.”

Other pairs competing in the Burnham & Berrow regional final include: Alex Davies and Chris Aston (a) (Celtic Manor), Daryl Kelley and Stuart Baker (a) (Filton), James O’Hara and Jason Brown (a) (Lanhydrock), and Chris Gill and Luke Berkeley (a) (Newquay).