Third time lucky for Shacklady

David Shacklady heads to the Titleist PGA Play-Offs in Turkey this month with his confidence riding high and a determination to crown a stunning season with another victory.

“The way I’ve played this year I’ve got to seriously think about winning this tournament,” he said.

“I don’t suppose there are many professionals better than me so I feel I will be in with a chance.”

Shacklady, who has won in excess of 250 assorted events in more than two decades, has also fixed his sights on qualifying for the European Senior Tour in the not too distant future.

“I know it’s nearly four years off but that’s my target,” revealed the former PGA Cup player.

At 46, he’s unfazed that he’ll be battling against younger players over three rounds in the £15,000 tournament which will again be staged at Antalya Golf Club’s PGA Sultan Course from November 23-25.

Reward for the top 10 finishers is a place in next year’s BMW PGA Championship while the winner will secure a handful of other European and Challenge Tour starts.

“Most lads in the region hit the ball longer than I do but I can still keep in touch with them,” he asserted

And he certainly proved the point as he topped the Michael Slater PGA North Order of Merit after dominating the five ranking tournaments in his most successful campaign to date.

He made his intentions clear from the start by winning the Manchester Open and Yorkshire Masters, finishing in a share of second place in the regional championship and James Brearley Lancashire Open, and picking up points in the Leeds Cup. In addition, he won the Manx Classic and PGA Lancashire Championship.

This will be his third crack at the play-offs, his best result in his two previous appearances was a tie for fourth at Notts in 2007 – the season he won his first of three Order of Merit titles.

Also expecting to be in the thick of the action are Pike Fold’s Grant Hamerton, 40, a former European Tour player, and 2012 OOM winner Adrian Ambler, 42, from Low Laithes, who did not figure in last year’s prize list.

Since the play-offs were inaugurated eight years ago, the North has yet to have a winner. Dore & Totley’s South Africa-based Neil Cheetham finished second at Little Aston in 2009.

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 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."