County heroes set for Belfry battle

Leading PGA Professionals are set for a battle over the Brabazon as they represent their counties in a championship final at the Belfry.

The second staging of the SkyCaddie PGA England & Wales Inter-County Championship will take place over the resort's premier course, which has hosted the Ryder Cup on four seperate occasions, on October 14-15.

In total five teams, representing Derbyshire, Essex, Hampshire, Wiltshire and Yorkshire, will compete in the hope of taking the lion’s share of a £10,000 prize fund.

Among a stellar field will be past PGA Cup players Jonathan Barnes and James Whatley, PGA in England and Wales (North) number one Alex Belt, and Powerade PGA Assistants’ Championship winner Gareth Davies.

Also in the field is Kedleston Park ace Ian Walley, representing Derbyshire, who will be playing in his fourth PGA national final in three years having claimed two PGA Pro-Captain Challenge titles and the PGA National Pro-Am Championship.

He has also qualified for the end of season Titleist PGA Play-Offs in Turkey having finished second in the PGA in England (Midlands) Order of Merit, behind former European Tour player Matthew Cort.

“I’m sure The Belfry course will be in good condition, the event will bring a bit of excitement to the end of the season,” Walley, below, said.

“As juniors we all competed against each other in counties but when you turn pro that rivalry disappears a bit so it’s good to get it back with this event.”

Proud Yorkshireman Adrian Ambler, meanwhile, believes his county have the key to victory in Belt and Davies.

“It’s not very often you get to represent your county playing golf, so you always feel that you want to do well when the opportunity comes along,” he explained.

“I’m lucky to be playing alongside two top players in Alex and Gareth, and I’m sure we stand every chance of coming away with something.”

The former PGA (North) number one will be among the more experienced members of the field, and will be looking to fend off a youthful-looking competition including 24-year-old Ross McCance from Wiltshire.

The Chippenham assistant is less than a year into his pro career and will be making his first appearance in a national final when he makes the 200-mile round trip to The Belfry.

“I can’t wait to get over to The Belfry, it’ll be my first time and it’s a great opportunity to go and play there so soon after turning pro,” he enthused.

“My ambition after I’ve finished my training is to hopefully make a career out of playing, so getting to the final of this is a good step in the right direction.”

Jacqui Surman, senior vice president of international sales and marketing at SkyCaddie, said: “For over a decade SkyCaddie has worked with PGA Professionals at the heart of the game, pioneering the use of distance measuring devices.

“SkyCaddie and the PGA Professional are viewed by golfers in a similar way. We are both trusted, above all others, to give the right advice; we both go into painstaking detail to help the golfer to achieve their best-ever score; and we are both highly visible out there on the golf course.

“SkyCaddie has its industry-leading course mapping process, where every hole is surveyed on foot, and the PGA Professional has his or her welcome presence wherever golfers play the game – coaching, inspiring and encouraging.

“We are delighted to support the PGA England & Wales Inter-County Championship for another season – it is an exciting event with plenty of pride at stake, and we wish all competitors good golfing.”

The full field for the final at the Belfry is as follows: Derbyshire; Kevin Taylor (Brailsford), Ian Walley (Kedleston Park), James Whatley (Morley Hayes); Essex; Mark Talbott (Thorpe Hall), Mark Stokes (Rayleigh Golf Range), Chase Davis (Stapleford Abbotts); Hampshire; Jonathan Barnes (Lee-on-the-Solent), Philip Bryden (Alresford), Martin Adams (Swanmore); Wiltshire; Ross McCance (Chippenham), Barry Forster (North Wilts), Mark Searle (High Post); Yorkshire; Gareth Davies (Abbeydale), Alex Belt (Bridlington Links), Adrian Ambler (Low Laithes).