Oliver aiming for dream comeback

An amateur golfer from Caerphilly is set to appear in a national tournament, just months after undergoing surgery on his hip.

Caerphilly club captain Daran Oliver, 45, will team up with the venue’s PGA Professional James Lee (pictured) for the Golfplan Insurance PGA Pro-Captain Challenge regional qualifier at The Addington on August 26.

The Canopius-supported tournament, which carries a total prize fund of £25,000, will culminate with a final at Antalya Golf Club in Turkey on November 26-27.

Oliver, a sports enthusiast who played semi-professional rugby union for Caerphilly, is confident that despite a lack of action this year he and Lee can still be in the running for a place in the final.

The land surveyor, who has been playing golf at the south Wales club since he was 15, admitted the hip replacement he endured earlier this year has limited his time on the course.

But a series of intensive physio sessions did at least allow Oliver, who also enjoys mountain biking and skiing, to make a sooner-than-expected return to golf.

“I’ve only really just got back to playing after my hip replacement,” he said.

“But I was determined to get back to golf as soon as possible and I didn’t find the process too bad in the end.

“There was a lot of physio which was quite intense, but I’ve always been very physically active so it wasn’t really too bad.”

Now he has his eyes set on representing his beloved club in a final underneath the Turkish sun.

“I’ve been at Caerphilly a long time, and it’s a great club to be a part of,” he enthused.

“I’ve always enjoyed being involved with the social side of things here, and the course itself is very testing – which gives us every chance when we play golf anywhere else.

“I know the club professional James well, and he is going to bring a lot of experience to the event,”

“Obviously we’re going to go to the qualifier looking to enjoy the day and really make the most of it.

“But the chance to go over to Turkey would be fantastic, and is definitely something that we’ll be aiming for.”

Other pairings playing in the regional qualifier at the Addington include: Mark Lawrie and captain Cyril Kieldson (Ashford), Jason Levermore and Neil Hutchinson (Channels), Craig Sutherland and Graham Open (Cherry Lodge), Nico Els and Richard Hughes (Clandon Regis), Wraith Grant and Eddie St John (Woodcote Park) and Lee Jackson and Alan Wood (North Oxford).

Douglas Young, managing director of Golfplan, added: “We are delighted to once again to be supporting this event.  We have close associations with The PGA and in 2014 Golfplan celebrates 30 years of working together with PGA Professionals.

“During this time we have been privileged to developed close relationships with PGA pros from across the UK who have given us vital support in creating our specialist golf insurance product. 

“The PGA Pro-Captain Challenge has proved to be a popular event in the golfing calendar and we wish all the entrants the very best of luck.”