London cabbie eyes Gleneagles fare

A golfing holiday to Spain is proving perfect preparation for London cabbie Craig Chamberlain ahead of his tilt at Lombard Trophy glory.

Chamberlain, 55, has been away on an excursion to Marbella brushing up his skills ahead of the regional final of Europe’s largest pro-am at Old Fold Manor on June 24.

He will play the event with his Enfield Golf Club PGA Professional Martin Porter.

The winners there will secure a place in the £80,000 championship final over the PGA Centenary Course at Gleneagles, the venue for last year’s Ryder Cup, on September 1-2.

And for Chamberlain, a golfer of 30 years who plays off a handicap of 10, the prospect of a trip to Gleneagles is ensuring he is motivated to succeed at the Barnet-based regional final.

“Gleneagles is a place that I have always dreamt of playing,” he said.

“Everyone talks about St Andrews and places like that but for me Gleneagles is the prettiest and the one that I have always wanted to play.

“It was a good feeling to know that I was one step closer to that after coming through my club qualifier, and I’m really looking forward to playing alongside Martin at Old Fold Manor.

“It’s good to have the golfing holiday beforehand, I’m with a group of friends and we’re playing six courses while we’re here.

“We’ve been away for the last 14 years now and done Portugal and places like that. It’s something that I always look forward to.”

Chamberlain, a lifelong Tottenham Hotspur fan, has been a black cab driver in the capital for almost 30 years.

“I used to be a technician at BMW,” he explained. “But the time came to move on and I wanted a job that would give me the opportunity to spend more time with the family too.

“Being a cab driver gives me the flexibility to do that, making time for my family and my golf!

“But it’s a job I have always enjoyed, and I still do enjoy 29 years after I started.”