Ireland pros set for Turkey showpiece

A posse of PGA Professionals from Ireland are set to head to Antalya Golf Club in Turkey for the season-ending Titleist PGA Play-Offs.

In total six pros will take on their counterparts from across the Irish Sea in a three-day battle to be named PGA No.1 over the PGA Sultan Course on November 29 – December 1.

Colm Moriarty (Drive Golf Performance), Niall Kearney (Royal Dublin), Michael McGeady (Foyle), Michael McDermott (Pure Golf Leopardstown), Brendan McGovern (Headfort) and Damian Mooney, above, (Nevada Bobs Belfast) each secured a slot to play in the showpiece after taking the top spots in the regional Order of Merit.

They will be offered opportunities aplenty heading into 2015 if they can finish among the leading players on the Mediterranean coast.

As well as a lion’s share of the £15,000 prize fund, the top 10 in Turkey will each receive a spot to play in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth next year, while the leading three eligible players will represent their country at CordeValle, California in September as part of the GB&I PGA Cup team.

There are also numerous other European Tour and Challenge Tour starts available for the top finishers.

Last year’s event was won by Scottish PGA Professional Greig Hutcheon (Banchory), who claimed the title after winning a play-off with Rothley Park pro Matt Cort. Hutcheon will be returning to Turkey to defend his title this time around.

Titleist brand director, Matthew Johnson, commented: “Titleist strives to support golf in all aspects of the game and our partnership with The PGA and the PGA Play-Offs offers a fantastic platform to strengthen our ties with all PGA Professionals.

"We take great pride in validating the #1 ball in golf, used by the best players in the world from touring professionals through to PGA Professionals and elite amateurs, which in turn influences golfers of all abilities to put their trust in the #1 ball in golf to help them shoot their best scores.

“The PGA Play-Offs is a unique event in bringing the leading PGA pros together to compete for an opportunity to tee up at some of the European Tour’s biggest events including the flagship BMW PGA Championship and we look forward to seeing an exciting conclusion to the season."