Macfarlane out to make it third time lucky

Head PGA Professional Don Macfarlane is aiming to make it third time lucky as he leads East Cork Golf Club into the grand final of the Lombard Trophy in Portugal this week.

Marfarlane played in his first final back in 1994 at former club Lee Valley, qualified two years ago with East Cork and returns this year with amateur Darren Burns (foreground) where they will go head to head with 13 other clubs in the 36-hole showdown in the sun which is supported by Coca Cola and carries a £41,500 prize fund including £12,000 to the winning professional.

More than 700 clubs entered the popular PGA National Pro-Am Championship which reaches its climax at Pestana’s stunning Vila Sol Golf & Resort Hotel on the Algarve from September 22-23.

Macfarlane, who played hurling and football as a kid before getting the golfing bug, is a huge fan of the Lombard Trophy – a view which is shared the club’s members.

 “I love it, you are so well looked after by the sponsors and it is a fantastic trip for the amateur, playing on a very good course and staying at a top hotel,” said Macfarlane who has been at East Cork since 1997.

“We’ve got 700 members and it is a very competitive club. The ladies have won three or four All Irelands, the juniors have reached the finals and it is strong in all areas.

“The club know how good the Lombard Trophy is and the members love it so it’s going from strength to strength and in fact we are trying to make it into one of the club’s majors.”

With a busy role at the thriving club, Macfarlane admits he doesn’t play so much but is still more than capable of realising a long held ambition to win the coveted trophy.

“I don’t play so much golf these days, concentrating on the business and family but I had seven birdies in the regional final so haven’t totally lost my touch,” he added.

“We will just go out and play some golf and see what happens. Darren plays off 11 so if he can throw in a few pars and I get some birdies you never know.

The duo came through qualifying at The K Club in August where there eight-under-par 64 secured them a one stroke victory.