In-form duo set their sights on Turkey

David Briggs hopes his successful partnership with Nigel Parkinson can once again reap dividends, this time in the Golfplan Insurance PGA Pro-Captain Challenge.

The Renishaw Park Golf Club pair appeared in the PGA National Pro-Am Championship final in 2011 - and only missed out on a return this year when they lost out in their regional final on countback.

But as Chesterfield-based Briggs is now club captain, he is eligible to play alongside PGA Professional Parkinson in the Pro-Captain Challenge.

They will begin their campaign in the qualifying event, to be held at Huddersfield Golf Club in West Yorkshire on Monday 5 August.

If successful they will make it through to the £25,000 challenge final over the PGA Sultan course at Antalya Golf Club in Turkey from November 21-22.

Briggs, 55, a schoolteacher who plays off a handicap of one, admits they are determined to make amends after missing out on a place in The Lombard Trophy final at Gleneagles.

He said: “It was frustrating to miss out after tying at the top of the leaderboard.

“So it’s good to get this opportunity again in the Pro-Captain Challenge, we know each others’ game well.

“It’s my first time in the event, but we know what it’s like to get to a grand final and it’d be great to get the chance to play in Turkey. It also has a knock on effect in that it attracts new members to the club.”

Other teams taking part at Huddersfield include Alexandra Keighley and Andrew Ramsden (Huddersfield); Mark Watkins and Davy York (Parklands); Thomas James and Paul Yates (York); Nigel Hirst and Jason Weston (Dewsbury District); and Colin Ferguson and Doug Ellison (De Vere Slaley Hall).