Jet setting duo bid for lift-off

Keswick professional Gary Watson admitted that the awful weather had forced him and his partner Bob Thornton to seek sunnier skies prior to competing in the PGA National Pro-Am Championship in Turkey next week.Watson headed for Portugal with a number of the club’s members while Thornton, an award-winning chef at Applethwaite’s Underscar Manor, went ‘across the pond’ to the South Carolina resort of Myrtle Beach to get some much needed practice ahead of the £30,000 tournament.

“Preparations haven’t been going too great here because of the awful weather since we actually qualified,” said Watson.

“Fortunately I’ve just had a week in Portugal, where I took my sticks, and Bob’s been across to the States and played there so at least that’s something.

“Apart from that, since qualifying for the final I’ve only played one event as I hadn’t planned to play too much this year. ”I’ve got a young daughter at home and now have another one on the way so maybe I should have played more golf!” The pair is one of 16 teams from across Great Britain & Ireland that will jet off next Sunday (Nov 30) and enjoy a five-day all expenses stay at the five star Sirene Beach & Hotel Resort in Antalya. The 36-hole tournament is being staged over Antalya Golf Club’s PGA Sultan on December 2 and 3 and Watson admits that neither he nor Thornton, who plays off eight, have high expectations. ”We didn’t have any when we went to the regional qualifier and I don’t think we’ll have any this time,” he said.

“We’ll just go there and see what happens.”

Picture: PGA professional Gary Watson (right) and amateur partner Bob Thornton.