Mundesley PGA Professional Ryan Pudney and his amateur team cruised to a 10-point victory in the TGI Golf Team Challenge – one of the biggest events of its kind – at the stunning Sueno Deluxe Resort in Turkey.
Pudney, and his amateur team of Phil Webster, Jon Batten and Kevin Taylor, finally tasted victory at an event where they have finished in the top seven for the last five years.
The foursome have been great friends for many years and have a history of winning together as amateurs before Ryan turned pro, winning major county events together and Pro-Ams once he became professional.
“As a team we’ve played a lot of decent level amateur golf, but we have all concluded this is the highlight of our golfing lives,” said Pudney. “It’s been a great week, fantastic facilities, courses and organisation. To win it in the way we did over start to finish just tops it off.”
Webster added: “This was our fifth appearance at the Team Challenge and it’s been an aspiration to win it because it’s such an awesome event, which has grown and grown each year. It’s not often you have the chance to play in multiple round team tournaments and it is phenomenal to be crowned champions of Europe’s biggest and best team event.”
A total of 71 teams – 284 golfers – travelled to the Antalya region of Turkey to compete in the seventh Team Challenge, once again breaking the record for the number of teams taking part in the event run by golf’s leading retail services group.
All competitors stayed in the luxurious five-star Sueno Deluxe Hotel, while the event was played over the two courses at Sueno Golf Club – The Dunes and The Pines.
The Team Challenge was contested over 36 holes with prizes supplied by event sponsors TaylorMade-adidas Golf, Ashworth Golf, PowaKaddy, Maui Jim Sunglasses and YOB Golf.
Since its inception in 2010 the TGI Golf Team Challenge has grown continually to become one of the largest events of its kind. With no individual prize on offer for the PGA Professionals each team must work together to top the leaderboard, giving the professional the opportunity to spend a week bonding with key customers, friends or guests.
Pudney said: “The Team Challenge is great opportunity to not only get away for several days at this time of year, but also to take three or more of your best customers away for seven days playing first class courses and staying in amazing accommodation. No matter how you get on you have a superb time, so take full advantage of it while it’s a quiet time of year…it’s certainly better than sitting in the Pro Shop.”
Eddie Reid, TGI Golf Managing Director said: “Congratulations to Team Pudney and all of the prize winners. This year was the biggest event we’ve staged and we would like to thank all of our sponsors as well as everyone who took part.
“The Team Challenge has become one of the most anticipated events of the year giving our Partners the perfect opportunity for some warm weather, great golf and the chance to bond with their valued customers.”
TGI Golf Partnership www.tgigolf.com