Nathan ready to brush up at Carton House

Decorator Nathan Magee will be hoping to paint the town red after the Lombard Trophy Irish qualifying event at Carton House Golf Club.

The Killymoon Golf Club amateur will be partnering PGA professional Gary Chambers for the event which is being held at the Co Kildare venue on June 14.

They will be aiming to book a trip to Portugal for the £41,450, Coca-Cola and Pestana Resorts supported, National Pro-Am grand final which will be played at the Vila Sol resort in the Algarve between September 20-21.

Magee who has only been playing golf for three years and has had some experience of the Carton House course.

“It’s an unbelievable thing to be involved in, I’ve a few mixed emotions, I’m looking forward to it and I’m nervous at the same time,” said the Cookstown-based 34-year-old who plays off a handicap of 14.

“I played Carton House last year, but it was the Montgomerie course. But this is being played on the O’Meara which I haven’t played before. I really enjoyed it down there.

“I took up golf three years ago, mainly because of my father who’s been playing for the last 20 years.

“I used to go along with him on a day off but never really got into it.

“Then, three years ago, it just sort of took off. I’d been playing a bit of local football before that but I’ve been a decorator for the past 14 years and that allows me some time to get to the golf course.

“My handicap’s come down a bit over the last three years.”

But Magee admitted few things stop him playing golf - even a slipped disc.

“My handicap started off at 18 and then I slipped a disc in the back and stayed around that, I went up to 19 then it came down again,” he explained.

“I did the disc lifting something in my first year of playing, but I was back again after two weeks!”

Other teams from Ireland taking part at Carton House include:  Enda Magiure and Ian McDonnell (Co. Louth Golf Club); Brian Cosgrove (Killeen Golf Club); Peter O’Hagan and Joe Lynch (Luttrellstown Castle Golf Club);  Paul Stevenson and Eric McAfee (Portadown Golf Club); and Mark O’Boyle and Colin Delaney (Heath Golf Club).