Northern Golfer’s Match Play Pairs champions Matt Sibley and David Wainman joined some of the region’s best professionals for the North East and North West PGA’s annual Portugal Pro Am following their victory in this year’s event.
Teaming up with Middlesbrough Golf Cub-based professional Andrew Richardson, the Northern Golfer team trailed the overall winners led by Rockliffe Hall pro Jon Stacey, but that didn’t dampen the experience for the Eaglescliffe pair.
“First of all thanks to Northern Golfer for organising a great competition which enabled us to win the prize,” said Matt on his return. “We cannot speak highly enough of the trip. We had a fantastic time, the golf courses were brilliant and the organisation and the event itself were top-class.
“I must say a special thank you to our pro Andrew, who did such a good job of looking after us.”
David added: “We will be entering Match Play Pairs again in 2018 and will be going on the holiday again – even if we don’t win – it was that good!”
In the four-day pro am played over the Pinta, O’Connor, Old Course and Palmares courses on The Algarve, Brampton Golf Club’s Philip Waugh won the professional’s title with a score of 157 points, including a two under-par final round at Palmares. Sharpley’s Simon Robinson took second place with 156 points as Hexham’s Andy Paisley was third with 152 points.
In the team event, Jon Stacey’s team of Neil Riddell, Richard Roper and Tanny Sinfield finished with a score of 357 points to beat Andrew Scrimshaw’s team of Neil Raine, Keith Tate, Paul Trelease by six points.
The prize for winning Northern Golfer’s Match Play Pairs was provided by Kevin Batty at Golfing Holidays. Details of next year’s competition will be published in the next edition of Northern Golfer.
