Cowan seeks home advantage at Slaley showpiece

George Cowan is hoping to make it third time lucky as he prepares to tackle the Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship at De Vere Slaley Hall later this month.

The Westerhope Golf Club pro missed the cut on his first appearance in the final and finished 15th last year so is eager to make his mark in the £78,000 showpiece event which is taking place at the Northumberland resort from June 11-14.

Cowan has an added incentive to perform well with the Peugeot-supported final also deciding who makes the Great Britain and Ireland PGA Cup team to face the United States also at Slaley Hall in September.

“I’m hoping it’s third time lucky for me and if I can repeat some of my early season form then who knows,” he said.

“The best thing for me is that the course is only 35 minutes from where I live so I can come home every night. However I wouldn’t say I have that much of an advantage as this isn’t a course I’ve played that much.”

Cowan admits it would be a dream to qualify and play in the PGA Cup which was first contested at the legendary Pinehurst No. 2 Course in North Carolina in 1973.

“It’s the nearest club professionals get to playing in the Ryder Cup and  the fact that the final will also be at Slaley Hall means it would be a great time for someone like me to get a place in the team,” he added.

“But I want to concentrate on doing well in the Glenmuir final first and not get ahead of myself so let’s see what happens there.”

Other players taking part at De Vere Slaley Hall include Alex Boyton (Skidby Lakes Golf Club), PGA Cup player Gary Brown  (Ganton), David Clark (Morpeth), Stephen McNally (De Vere Slaley Hall), Richard Gregory (Abbeydale) and  two-time PGA Assistants’ champion Jonathan Lupton (Close House).