West Middlesex Golf Club head assistant PGA professional Liam Clarke led his team to victory in the inaugural TGI Golf Overseas Team Challenge held at Lykia Links Golf, Turkey.
Clarke’s team of Paul Maunder, Adil Butt and Matthew Hymes saw off the challenge of another 31 teams in the first event of its kind to be staged by TGI Golf, Europe’s leading buying group for golf professionals.
West Middlesex scored a superb 148pts over the two rounds to take the title by three points from Kenny Hutton’s Downfield Golf Club team of John Cree, Andrew Herd and Colin Mclean.
The West Middlesex Golf Club team (from left) Paul Maunder, Liam Clarke, Adil Butt and Matthew Hymes, claimed the inaugural TGI Golf Overseas Team Challenge.
Liam said: “It was an excellent event, the whole time we were there we were looked after by the TGI Golf team, the course was fantastic and to come away as winners was an amazing achievement. The prizes put up by TaylorMade were unreal, the whole team were so grateful.
“The first day was extremely tough in the wind and I just made sure the team were aware of the old cliché ‘tournaments cannot be won on the first day, but they can be lost.’ So we kept it steady and were happy to be fifth after the first round.
“The second round went extremely well for us. Using the VPAR system I could see the live scoring and I was aware with five holes to go that we were all square. We then birdied three of the last five to finish very strongly.”
All competitors received a welcome pack supplied by TaylorMade-adidas Golf, which included shirts, gloves and hats. TaylorMade-adidas Golf also supplied prizes throughout the three days, including the top prize of a tour bag, driver and set of irons of the players’ choice, custom fitted at the TMaG facility at Basingstoke or Wentworth, or by a TGI Golf TMaG staff pro. A round of golf at either Gleneagles, The Belfry, Sunningdale, Wentworth, The K Club, Ballybunion or any Marriott venue as well as tickets to the Open Championship at St Andrews.
There was also a booby prize for the team who finished with the lowest combined score on the second day, which went to the Bradley Park GC team of pro Jamie Coverley and guests Mark Hughes, Mark Sweeney and Phil Cox.
They were given hospitality tickets for the Open Championship, although in order to earn their tickets they must work a shift in the R&A Merchandise Tent.
Eddie Reid, TGI Golf managing director, said: “The camaraderie and high spirits made for a fantastic first ever TGI Overseas Team Challenge. The hotel and facilities were first class and everyone enjoyed themselves no matter how they got on on the golf course. I’d like to say a big thank you to TaylorMade-adidas Golf and Ashworth apparel for their kind sponsorship and first class prizes, and to VPAR for supplying the live scoring.”
Andrew Law, TMaG commercial director, added: “TaylorMade-adidas Golf was delighted to be involved with TGI Golf’s first overseas event and supply prizes and giveaways from our three brands – TaylorMade, adidas and Ashworth.
“The venue and the golf course were of excellent standard and the golf professionals and their customers alike were extremely appreciative of everything TGI Golf and TaylorMade-adidas Golf did for them. It was a great event and we would be delighted to continue supporting the event next year.”