Midland pros chase Turkish delight

A quintet of Midland PGA pros will escape Britain’s big freeze this week to play in the Titleist PGA Play-Offs and earn a chance to claim one of the hottest tickets on the European Tour.

The five, including reigning Glenmuir PGA Professional champion Dan Greenwood (Forest Pines), will be in action at Turkey’s Antalya Golf Club from November 23-25 where the top 10 finishers will earn a place in next year’s BMW PGA Championship.

Greenwood, who played a starring role in Great Britain & Ireland’s fightback in the PGA Cup against the United States in September, is joined by Matt Cort (Rothley Park), past PGA Play-Offs winner Paul Streeter (Lincoln Golf Centre), Simon Lilly (Wellingborough) and Craig Shave (Whetstone).

And while Greenwood will be making his debut in the £15,000 tournament he is no stranger to the venue having won the PGA National Pro-Am Championship over the PGA Sultan course in 2008.

His only concern ahead of the 54-hole event, which will see Kent’s Richard Wallis going for a third successive victory, is avoiding raging toothache which has been plaguing him of late.

“I’ve been having root canal work and I’m hoping it will last while I’m away. I haven’t ventured out in the cold because it hurts my teeth too much,” he said.

“I’ve normally put the clubs away at this stage of the season but with the PGA Play-Offs and next month’s PGAs of Europe International Team Championships it’s going to be a busier winter than usual on the playing front.”

Cort heads to the event having dominated the Midland Order of Merit and also created history by winning a third consecutive Powerade PGA Assistants’ Championship.

His victory in the tournament earlier in the summer paved the way for Shave to be included in the 24-strong field in Turkey courtesy of his fourth place finish in the Order of Merit.

The Midland pros make up a 24-strong field with the overall winner set to earn a number of European and Challenge Tour starts in 2014.

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.

“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."