Europe’s largest pro-am is back and bigger than ever
The 2021 PGA National Pro-Am Championship has been relaunched as a mixed event and is open to all male and female amateurs aged 18 and over.
Formerly known as the Lombard Trophy, amateurs team up with their club professional for a chance to win an all-expenses paid trip to PGA National Turkey for the Grand Final.
Winners of a club competition will move on to take part in one of 12 regional qualifiers before the victors travel to the Antalya Golf Club in November for 36 holes on the PGA Sultan course.
The five-star venue, in Belek, famously hosted the likes of Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas as part of the World Golf Final in 2012.
PGA professionals compete for a share of a £25,000 prize fund, while there are also highly coveted prizes for the amateurs at the Regional and Grand Final stages of the tournament.
More than a million amateur golfers have taken part down the years and regional qualifiers are being held throughout the summer at venues including Montrose, Enville, Foxhills and Orsett.
Craig Shave, who won the championship with amateur partner Phil Wright when representing Whetstone Golf Club in 2018, said the title was the “highlight of his career”.
“I entered the tournament because it’s a great way to interact with our members and it’s something extra special for them to play for. Having a chance to represent your club on a national stage is fantastic,” he said.
“The grand final was an amazing experience. We were looked after exceptionally PGA staff who were all very friendly and welcoming and as usual, they ran the event impeccably.
“To win the event for Whetstone meant a great deal. We are a friendly, family-run club that supports and follows its members/professionals in all competitions, so when we won this event in 2018 the club was buzzing.”
Wright added: “Playing in the PGA National Pro-Am Championship, from the qualifying round through to the Grand Final, was a fantastic experience.
“Meeting and getting to know the other competitors was great and playing golf with professional golfers, seeing how the game can be played, was a brilliant experience.
“The courses we played were stunning the PGA staff took care of everything, which made the whole experience feel like a holiday rather than a competition.”
For a full list of regional qualifiers, and to download an entry pack, click here.
If you’re taking part in the 2021 PGA National Pro-Am Championship, the PGA want to capture and celebrate your finest moments by tagging @PGA_Tournaments on social media and using the hashtag #PGANationalProAm.
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Steve Carroll
A journalist for 25 years, Steve has been immersed in club golf for almost as long. A former club captain, he has passed the Level 3 Rules of Golf exam with distinction having attended the R&A's prestigious Tournament Administrators and Referees Seminar.
Steve has officiated at a host of high-profile tournaments, including Open Regional Qualifying, PGA Fourball Championship, English Men's Senior Amateur, and the North of England Amateur Championship. In 2023, he made his international debut as part of the team that refereed England vs Switzerland U16 girls.
A part of NCG's Top 100s panel, Steve has a particular love of links golf and is frantically trying to restore his single-figure handicap. He currently floats at around 11.
Steve plays at Close House, in Newcastle, and York GC, where he is a member of the club's matches and competitions committee and referees the annual 36-hole scratch York Rose Bowl.
Having studied history at Newcastle University, he became a journalist having passed his NTCJ exams at Darlington College of Technology.
What's in Steve's bag: TaylorMade Stealth 2 driver, 3-wood, and hybrids; TaylorMade Stealth 2 irons; TaylorMade Hi-Toe, Ping ChipR, Sik Putter.
