Turkey calling for Crow Wood duo

Crow Wood duo Ian Graham, left, and Alex Paton are set to tee up a trip to Turkey for the final of the Golfplan Insurance PGA Pro-Captain Challenge.

Paton, the Glasgow club’s captain, and Graham, their PGA Professional, qualified to play in the £25,000 showpiece after coming through the regional qualifier at Haggs Castle earlier in the summer.

This will be the second time the club has appeared at a national final after Graham, who has been based at the club since 2004, appeared in the PGA National Pro-Am Championship at 2014 Ryder Cup venue Gleneagles in September.

The duo will feature in a field of 10 pairings in the Canopius-supported grand final over Antalya Golf Club’s PGA Sultan Course on November 25-26.

That field will include the likes of defending champion Jason Levermore (Channels) who will be playing alongside his club captain Graeme Harvey.

Yet Paton, a 46-year-old managing director for a tiling contracting company, was not aware of the prize when he took to the fairways for the qualifier with his pro Graham.

“I didn’t realise we’d be going to play at a final in Turkey,” he said after the regional qualifier.

“I just thought it was a regular competition and maybe there’d be a golf bag for the winners!

“Then at the end they told me where we were going and I still didn’t believe them.

“Now I know and it’s a fantastic trip.”

Graham added: “I’m delighted to have made it to two finals this year, it makes for a busy time but I’m happy with that.”