Following a positive response to an enhanced prize package, a strong field will compete over 54-holes in the 2016 Galvin Green PGA Assistants’ Championship final at Little Aston Golf Club, Sutton Coldfield between 3-5 August.
As part of its support of the event, Galvin Green is rewarding the winners of this year’s seven regional qualifying events with high-performance clothing worth more than £300, including a MACOY Ventril8™ shirt, a DONALD INSULA™ jacket and NOEL or NASH Ventril8™ trousers. A three-way tie for first place at the PGA West qualifying event at Exeter, means that nine players among the 120 finalists will be presented on arrival at Little Aston with their new outfits in fresh colourways.
Galvin Green also plans to provide the two overnight leaders with a distinctive MAPPING Ventil8™ shirt to denote who set the pace on the first day (Imperial blue) and during the penultimate round (Electric red). In addition, the champion will be rewarded with the profile of an official Galvin Green Tour player for the year, plus a complete golfing wardrobe selected during a visit to the brand’s UK showroom.
“With its innovative ideas and an increase in the number of entries from last year, the sponsorship of Galvin Green has really helped take the Championship to a new level,” said Ben Groutage, PGA Head of Tournaments.
The tournament prize fund of £32,000 includes a first prize of £5,000 and entry into the end of season PGA Play Offs in Turkey and the Australian PGA Futures Championship, plus the chance to compete for a place in the 2017 BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth via qualification from the PGA Play-Offs.
“Having witnessed the standard of golf at the qualifying events, I’m sure we can look forward to another closely contested final and an outstanding champion to wear Galvin Green clothing,” said Tom Burilson, Marketing Executive at Galvin Green.
Last year’s champion, Jack Harrison from Wildwood GC near Guildford, has enjoyed a special year since winning by four shots at Coventry CG. “It’s been an amazing year for me and I’ve featured in three European Tour events this season, including the Mauritius Open. I can’t thank Galvin Green enough for the opportunities they’ve given me as well as the incredible clothing that has helped my performance everywhere, especially in hot climates like Australia and South Africa,” said Jack, runner up in the 2015 Australian PGA Futures event at Ballarat, Victoria.
Regional winners & finalists
James Winer (Abridge) was victorious in the first qualifying event (PGA East) at Purdis Heath with a three-under par round of 68, two shots clear of David Griffiths, who will be looking to go one better after a tied-second place last year.
Ricki Neil-Jones (PGA South), Matthew Webb (PGA Scotland) and Robert Bardsley (PGA Midlands) won their respective qualifying rounds, along with Adam Hodkinson (PGA North), who repeated his win in the same qualifying event last year having recovered from breaking his wrist. Tullamore’s Kelan McDonagh will make his final debut, after giving up a banking career and winning the PGA Ireland qualifier.
The three-way tie at PGA West with scores of 66 resulted in final qualification for Toby Hunt (St Mellons), Tom Hanson (Tiverton) and James Ruth (China Fleet), who then just missed the cut at Wentworth and will look to improve on a top four spot.
The sole female Assistant to make the final is Silvermere’s Shannon Flynn Hanly, who qualified at Farleigh (PGA South).
Past winners of the event first played in 1930 include legendary TV commentator Peter Alliss and former Open champion and Ryder Cup captain Tony Jacklin.
To find out more information on the Galvin Green PGA Assistants’ Championship visit: www.pga.info or for Galvin Green clothing visit: www.galvingreen.com.