Wainwright looks to fresh blend in bid to regain title

Former champion Aran Wainwright is taking a mix of youth and experience into this year’s Golfbreaks.com PGA Fourball Championship final.

Wainwright, of Pontefract’s Mid Yorkshire Golf Club, will team up with Matthew Daley, from Hainsworth Park Golf Club near Driffield, for the £35,000 Skycaddie & BMW supported event to be held at Cheshire’s Carden Park course between August 12-14.

And Wainwright, who won the title three years ago with Adrian Ambler, hopes the new look pairing will be a success.

“I played with Matt in the final of the Yorkshire PGA Matchplay a couple of years ago,” said Wainwright.

“But I usually play these events with Adrian and he’s let me know this year that he wouldn’t be able to play because of commitments at this club.

“And I knew Matt who is someone who can make a lot of birdies in these events.

“He’s aged 25 and I’m still 39 - although I’ll turn 40 next month.

“I don’t know about being more experienced, I’m certainly older!

“Matt was a promising amateur before turning professional. I hope we can make a good team at Carden Park.

‘I’ve played there at Tour School and it’ll be a great venue for the final.”

Wainwright admits there are no guarantees in this sort of event, and even having won it before does not mean automatic success.

“I always say in this format that it’s about holing your putts, if you can do that you stand a chance, if not then you’re not going to win,” he said.

It will have been a busy fortnight for Daley who also played in the PGA Assistants’ Championship at Coventry Golf Club.

“It’s a big two weeks,” admitted Daley, who is entering the third year of his PGA training.

“But I’m looking forward to playing with Aran. The fact that he’s won it before means he’s taking a lot of experience into the event.

‘He’s good bloke too so we should be a good combination.

“I’ve never played Carden Park before but I plan to do a practice round there and maybe pick up some tips I can pass on.

“I like this form of golf, I played a lot of it as an amateur so it suits me.”

Also taking part at Carden Park from the North East of England are: George Cowan and Michael Nesbit (Westerhope Golf Club); Adam Durie  and John Eyre (Woodsome Hall Golf Club); James Freeman (Owston Hall)  and Craig Fricker (Styrrup Hall Golf & Country Club); Mark Ridley (South Moor Golf Club) and David Clark (Morpeth Golf Club).