Dublin pro targets gleeful return
29/07/2014
Dublin PGA pro Donal Gleeson is looking to make his mark on The PGA’s flagship event less than a year after recovering from a back injury.
The 31 year old, who currently works at Old Conna Golf Club, played through the pain of herniated discs during some of the biggest events of his career including the Irish Open.
Yet he is now fighting fit and raring to go ahead of his first appearance in the Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship since 2011, when he secured a top 30 finish at The Belfry.
The championship, the leading tournament for club professionals in Great Britain and Ireland, will take place at Blairgowrie and carries a £78,700 prize fund.
The winner will also claim the use of a car for 12 months from support sponsors Peugeot and secure a place in the end-of-season Titleist PGA Play-Offs at Antalya Golf Club in Turkey.
This year’s championship marks the start of the qualification period for the 2015 PGA Cup, a prestigious biennial matchplay tournament competed for between the PGA Professionals of Great Britain and Ireland and the United States of America.
And Gleeson admitted that will factor into his thinking as he prepares for the trip across the Irish Sea.
“Obviously that is something that crosses your mind, as the PGA Cup is an event everyone wants to play in,” he said.
“But the key is to focus on each shot and not get carried away, I feel my form has been pretty good this year and I’ve been very busy playing in different events.
“I don’t know Blairgowrie very well but we’ll be travelling over on the ferry a few days before to make sure we get a good chance to have a look around.
“After all this is a huge event and it’s important that you go out there and give a good account of yourself.
“I’ve been so used to playing with the help of muscle relaxants and pain killers over the last few years that it will be nice to go and play properly now I’m fully fit again.”
Matthew Eagle, UK and Eire Sales Director at Glenmuir, said: “We are delighted to be once again sponsoring the Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship, recognised and respected as the flagship event for PGA Professionals in Great Britain and Ireland.
“The qualifier venues were of outstanding quality this year as was the standard of golf played throughout, with the magnificent Blairgowrie Golf Club offering a fine venue for this year’s final on the 5th–8th August, which is sure to be as intriguing as ever.
“Our longstanding commitment to the PGA Professional is something very dear to our hearts alongside the game of golf at grass roots level. We hope that these relationships will carry forward for many years to come.
“We look forward to another exciting tournament, and wish all the competitors the best of luck ahead of the event.”
Other players competing in the final from Ireland include: David Mortimer (Galway), John Kelly (St Margaret’s), Shaun Donnelly (Castle Hume), Michael McDermott (Pure Golf Leopardstown), Brendan McGovern (Headfort), and Mark Whelan (Castlewarden).
