Round 02 of the fourth World Club Pro-Am supported by the PGA of South Africa, was once again played across both the Zimbali Country Club and Cotswold Downs Golf Estate, with players switching course from Round 01.

Gressier, who opened with 41 points (-5) at Zimbali Country Club, started Round 02 on the 10th at Cotswold Downs.

The Frenchman continued his great form and was quickly into his stride, making two birdies in the first four holes. Taking this momentum forward, he was able to close the front nine in similarly impressive fashion, birdieing the 17th and 18th, to reach the turn with 21 points (-3).

Coming home, Gressier made two birdies and three bogeys, to give him a two-round total of 79 points (-7) and a two-point lead going into Round 03.

His closest pursuer is PGA of South Africa Professional, Pierre van Vuuren, who carded a 37 point (-1) round consisting of two birdies and one bogey, for a two-round total of 77 points (-5).

There is a tie for third place between PGA of South Africa players, Graeme van der Nest and Nisharlan Sewshanker, who are both six points off the lead on 73 points (-1).

There is a share for the lead of the Team Pro-Am Competition, as overnight leaders Team Serengeti, led by van Vuuren, and Team Windsor Park, led by Sewshanker, both have 185 points (-41).

Playing at Cotswold Downs, Team Windsor Park shot the best round of the day with 96 points (-24), and along with Team Serengeti, have established a nine point cushion over third place Team Strand 2.

Round 03 of the five-round event moves to Beachwood Country Club, as the field continue to play for a share of the $100,000 prize fund.

For Full Round 02 Scores Visit http://eur.pe/2017WCPA

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For more information visit the Tournament Hub Page or visit www.worldclubproam.com, follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter and search the hashtag ‘#WorldClubProAm’ or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

The fourth World Club Pro-Am supported by the PGA of South Africa began across both Zimbali and Cotswold Downs Golf Estate with Professionals and their amateur teams embarking on the five-round international Pro-Am.

Gressier was able to get off the mark quickly with two birdies in the opening three holes, setting him up for a very solid two-under front nine.

His return nine saw further birdies on holes 10, 11 and 17, giving him a 41-point total and a single shot lead over the rest of the field.

Also well in the running for his share of the $100,000 prize fund is PGA of South Africa Professional, Pierre van Vuuren, after four birdies gave him a total of 40 points (-4).

The other lowest scores of the day all came from Zimbali Country Club with Aaron Cox (PGA of Australia) carding 39 points to sit in third place, whilst fourth place currently goes to the PGA of Great Britain & Ireland’s Garry Houston with 38 points.

Over on Cotswold Downs Golf Estate, the PGA of Greece’s Henrik Engdahl had the low round with 37 points for current fifth place.

The Team Pro-Am competition got off to a strong start with three teams sharing the lead at 91 points (-19): Team Serengeti, led by van Vuuren, and Team Wedgewood, led by Graeme van der Nest (PGA of South Africa), both at Zimbali Country Club; along with Team Zebula, led by Conrad du Plooy (PGA of South Africa), at Cotswold Downs.

Four teams sit within three shots of the lead setting up what will be a highly competitive week in the Team Pro-Am event.

For Full Round 01 Scores Visit http://eur.pe/2017WCPA

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For more information visit the Tournament Hub Page or visit www.worldclubproam.com, follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter and search the hashtag ‘#WorldClubProAm’ or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

“I feel so good. I played a solid round [today], except the last three holes where my heart rate went up a bit,” said the Italian, who shot a final round of 72 (+1), to finish with a three-round total of 205 (-8).

“I was looking at Ralph [Miller] often, because he was playing in front of me…I saw that he had a bogey on the 18th, and then my heart rate went a bit lower.”

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Elli is looking to use the victory as a springboard into the rest of the season: “I go to London in one month and proceed with some events on the Alps Tour and of course other Confederation of Professional Golf Pro-Ams.

“Costa Navarino is always a top place to be…a wonderful hotel, wonderful golf course and all the staff are brilliant. I think this is one of the best spots for a golfing holiday…we will come back for sure next year.”

Chasing the winner all the way and only two shots back, was Ralph Miller of the PGA of Holland.

“I didn’t play all that great today – I struggled on the greens and shot one-over eventually, but overall a great feeling for the week,” said Miller, who finished on six-under (207).

“I feel pretty good, especially as it’s the first tournament of the year,” he added. “We had snow last week in Holland, so it’s good to be out here in the sun, hitting balls and putting on normal greens…for me it’s just a vacation!

“It has been a fun week…the area is beautiful. Beautiful views and weather, friendly people…and both courses are very good.”

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Like Elli, Miller is hoping to use the good performance as a confidence boost for the remainder of the year: “I’m going to play some events back home [in Holland] and some international events…and maybe try out for the British Open Qualifier…It is always good to be out early and seeing how your game is, so you know what to work on.”

In third place was Lorenzo Gagli (PGA of Italy), who had the best round of the day with a four-under round 67, finishing with a total of 209 (-4). The Italian continues his recent good form, after having won the Lumine International Pro-Am and coming third in the Confederation of Professional Golf Fourball Championship.

The Team Pro-Am Competition was won by the quartet of PGA of Great Britain & Ireland Professional, Stuart Boyle, and amateurs, Haris Papadopoulos, Georgios Kyvernitis and Daniele Bovio [picture above].

The team led after Round 02 and were not for catching, concluding with an 84 point (-12) round, to leave them on 263 points (-47) for the tournament.

Their closest pursuers were the team led by Steve Dooley (PGA of Austria), who were seven points adrift on 256 points (-40) and Team Mejow (PGA of Germany) a further ten points behind.

For Full Final Scores Visit http://eur.pe/2017Messinia

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For more information visit the Tournament Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2017Messinia) and messiniaproam.costanavarino.com, follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter and search the hashtag ‘#MessiniaProAm’, and like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

Find out more about Costa Navarino at www.costanavarino.com.

Elli began his round on the 10th of The Bay Course at Costa Navarino and said, “It started off good because I had a birdie on the 10th and then I started to feel better and better, and a lot more confident.

“I had eight birdies and no bogeys, so a very good round…and I’m so happy because since October I’ve stopped playing and started practising and changing my swing…and I have to say that it’s working really good!”

The Italian, who has a two-round total of 133 (-9) and holds a two-shot lead, added: “The courses are in great shape. The greens are really quick and bouncy, so it’s not easy to hole putts.

“I made my game plan before the first day, so I’ll just focus on my strategy and keep going shot by shot…that’s all I want to try and do.”

His closest pursuer is Ralph Miller of the PGA of Holland, who carded a seven-under round of 64.

“It went awesome [today]. I started on the 10th…and birdied the 18th to get to level par, and I thought I was struggling,” explained Miller. “We came up the 1st and I missed a three-foot putt for birdie…but at the par-four [4th], I’ve hit my second shot from 110 yards and it slam dunked in the hole for an eagle, which was awesome!

“The par-five up the hill [6th] – I hit a hybrid to about a foot, so I eagled that one too,” added Miller, who is visiting Greece for the first time. “I was on a run and it was awesome. I shot seven-under on the back nine…[Tomorrow] I’m going to try the same and see what happens…and have fun, that’s the main thing.”

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In third place, on three-under, is Emanuele Canonica (PGA of Italy) after he shot a second round of 69 (-2). Overnight leader, Paul Nilbrink (PGA of Norway), struggled in Round 02 and finds himself eight shots off the lead on one-under.

At the top of the Team Pro-Am leaderboard is the team made up of PGA of Great Britain & Ireland Professional, Stuart Boyle, and amateurs, Haris Papadopoulos, Georgios Kyvernitis and Daniele Bovio. The team have a two-round total of 179 points (-35), after their excellent second round of 92 points.

Trailing them by eight points is the team led by Steve Dooley (PGA of Austria), with Team Mejow (PGA of Germany) a further five points adrift.

Round 03 begins at 09:00am (GMT+2).

For Full Round 02 Scores Visit http://eur.pe/2017Messinia

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For more information visit the Tournament Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2017Messinia) and messiniaproam.costanavarino.com, follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter and search the hashtag ‘#MessiniaProAm’, and like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

Find out more about Costa Navarino at www.costanavarino.com.

The field, in which 13 different nationalities are represented, took to The Dunes Course at Costa Navarino in challenging and windy conditions.

“Today was pretty tough. You didn’t get much roll on the fairways, so it played long,” explained Nilbrink, after shooting an opening round of 69 (-2). “The greens are very nice as always down here.”

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The Norwegian, who has played at Costa Navarino on several occasions in the Aegean Airlines Pro-Am, added: “The first hole was against the wind, a very long par four, and I bogeyed the first hole…but then I made three birdies in a row…and I birdied the 17th after I hit a four-iron close and knocked the putt in…I’m pretty happy with my first round, I played solid.”

Round 02 of the tournament moves to the Bay Course, and leader Nilbrink believes it will present a different challenge to the players.

“You’ve got to get the pace right on the [Bay Course] greens…they’re normally faster. Today with this nice weather, the greens are probably drying up. If I get the pace of the greens and keep the ball in play, I should be okay.

“The facilities are excellent here and the organisers of the Pro-Am are doing a great job…it’s a fantastic Pro-Am.”

There is a four-way tie for second place between, Emanuele Canonica (PGA of Italy), Stuart Boyle (PGA of Great Britain & Ireland), Federico Elli (PGA of Italy) and Alexis Szappanos (PGA of Germany), who all carded one-under rounds of 70.

“The course is fantastic, very good design and very good condition…some of the best greens I have played in past few months,’ said Canonica, who is visiting Costa Navarino for the first time. “[The Bay Course] is a little bit shorter, but with the wind it will be tough.

“My game is okay, but physically I am a bit tired…but I will try to do my best and support the team.”

At the top of the Team Pro-Am Competition is the quartet of PGA of Austria Professional, Steve Dooley, and amateurs Gerhard Komarek, Andreas Hainz and Gerhard Marischka, The team scored an excellent 88 points (-16) and have a one point lead over Team Boyle going into Round 02.

Round 02 begins at 09:00am (GMT+2).

For Full Round 01 Scores Visit http://eur.pe/2017Messinia

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For more information visit the Tournament Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2017Messinia) and messiniaproam.costanavarino.com, follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter and search the hashtag ‘#MessiniaProAm’, and like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

Find out more about Costa Navarino at www.costanavarino.com.

Introduced last year, the review examines driving distance data from seven of the major professional golf tours, based on approximately 285,000 drives per year. Data from studies of male and female amateur golfers has also been included for the first time.

Key facts noted in the paper include:

• Between 2003 and the end of the 2016 season, average driving distance on five of the seven tours has increased by approximately 1.2%, around 0.2 yards per year.
• For the same time period, average driving distance on the other two tours studied decreased by approximately 1.5%.
• Looking at all of the players who are ranked for distance on the PGA TOUR and PGA European Tour, the amount by which players are “long” or “short” has not changed – for instance, since 2003 the 10 shortest players in that group are about 6% shorter than average, while the 10 longest players in the group are about 7% longer than average. The statistics are not skewed toward either longer or shorter players.
• The average launch conditions on the PGA TOUR – clubhead speed, launch angle, ball speed and ball backspin – have been relatively stable since 2007. The 90th-percentile clubhead speed coupled with the average launch angle and spin rate are very close to the conditions that The R&A and the USGA, golf’s governing bodies, use to test golf balls under the Overall Distance Standard.

Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, said, “In the interests of good governance and transparency it is important that we continue to provide reliable data and facts about driving distance in golf.

“Driving distance remains a topic of discussion within the game and the review provides accurate data to help inform the debate.”

Mike Davis, Executive Director/CEO of the USGA, said, “We appreciate the collaboration we have received, industry-wide, to access and review this data to benefit the entire golf community, which can be used to both educate golfers and advance the game.”

The 2016 report can be viewed at www.RandA.org and www.usga.org or downloaded here 2016 Distance Report.pdf

The R&A and the USGA published the Joint Statement of Principles in May 2002, which confirmed their commitment to the fundamental notion that skill, not technology, should be the primary determinant of success in the game. The Joint Statement acknowledged the benefits of equipment technology for golf but noted that any further significant increases in hitting distances at the highest level were undesirable.

Since then, The R&A and the USGA have continued to monitor equipment technology’s effect on the game, and considered the effects of other factors, such as course set-up, athleticism and coaching. When appropriate, new Rules have been introduced after discussions with equipment manufacturers and other stakeholders, in accordance with the Equipment Rulemaking Procedures produced in 2011.

Click Here to Download the 2016 Distance Report [PDF]

‘Are you getting by, or are you getting better?’  This is a question that we have heard a mentor pose to clients on several occasions.

It’s a seemingly simple question that is inherently complex and thus very difficult to answer.  Why? You have to answer it yourself through reflection. While it’s often uncomfortable to look at oneself from the perspective of the third person (nobody wants to see what they don’t want to), or to question and think about what you’re doing and why you’re doing it– it’s an essential and enlightening process.  It brings us full circle and cuts to the essence of why we are all here: we don’t know what we don’t know– and we have a strong desire to change that.  We are infinitely curious.

Despite the fact that we haven’t been writing, we’ve still been learning – quite a bit, in fact.  How? Reflection.

Reflection is the primary means through which we grow and evolve. Our practice is informed by our experience, and we need to invest the time and energy to look at said experience with a critical eye.  A thorough examination of our choices and behaviors helps us identify and reinforce the actions that correlate to success, and therefore the things we should keep doing, as well as the actions or choices that led to the opposite result.  As coaches, it is our job to evolve.  Given that 2017 is upon us, we want to dig a little deeper into this topic, and provide you with an example of the result of some of our own reflection, so that the entire coaching community (ok, we digress–any readers that have endured the prolonged break) can hit the ground running in the new year.

Dr. Wade Gilbert, a professor of Kinesiology at Fresno State University (and regular guest lecturer in Matt’s Coaching Effectiveness class at UBC), is one of the world’s leading experts on coaching science.  Much of his research focuses on how coaches develop their expertise.  Through his years of research, he’s identified that informal learning is a primary means through which expert coaches grow and develop.  Much of that informal learning is triggered internally, by reflection.  All coaches think about their experience, but only the experts try to understand why and how they can improve on it.  In other words, experts are curious about their performance, and have a desire to do it better.

We know that having experience and learning from that experience are catalysts for growth.  So, what are the mechanics of the process? How do you process that experience and make adjustments to your behavior?  How do you integrate it into what you do? While, we’re still trying to answer those questions ourselves, we have been following these two practices to help us get improve: Reflective practice and critical reflection.  Yes, they sound similar (which they are), but they are inherently different.

REFLECTIVE PRACTICE V. CRITICAL REFLECTION

When we think about reflective practice and/or reflection, the image that comes to mind is a steady stream of thought on a car ride home.  These are the relatively short, internal conversations that we have with ourselves, daily, that don’t require significant effort.  They’re mental ‘notes’ that often focus on problems we encountered, or about things that went particularly well in a given instance.  Sometimes, these conversations lead us to discover a different way to go about addressing a situation.

Critical reflection, on the other hand, is much more significant.  These are the reflections that force you to take a step back and consider the beliefs that underpin your actions and behaviors. They often represent an internal inventory-taking of your coaching skills and beliefs, and facilitate a deeper dive into self-improvement, often involving interacting with third parties, and other members of your coaching network for answers.  These are critical, evolutionary moments that identify gaps and signal action towards closing them, ultimately leading to relatively permanent change in behavior.

The point we want to make is that over the last 6 months, we’ve been thrust into opportunities that have illuminated the shortcomings we have as coaches.  The fleeting thoughts about an occasion that didn’t go as planned are often more frustrating than productive.  Critical reflection elicits more intrigue than frustration, it actually moves the needle.  Through continued reflection – both in the daily and critical sense – we’ve given ourselves a chance to grow and improve.

ACTIONABLES

• Keep a journal. Logging your days and jotting down your thoughts helps you become aware of any patterns that exist.  The notes serve as an informational foundation for critical analysis and eventually, change.

• Budget time to be critical. Going deeper into your reflections to create understanding, and ultimately change, takes time and effort.  Ensure that you are setting aside time either monthly or quarterly, to be self-critical, such that you can get a plan in place to close any gaps that you perceive to be apparent.

• Be vulnerable. Seeing yourself in action is a great way to understand your behavior.  You’ll become aware of a number of great things, as identify a few areas to improve.  Also, it is OK to not know.  Seek the opinions of others, as it’ll help close your knowledge gaps and make you aware of new solutions.  Yes, it is an uncomfortable process, but very much worth it.

• Remain as objective as possible. It can be far too easy to grade your paper against unrealistic standards. This can be done with film (as you’ll see below), or through a trusted friend/advisor who is invested in your success.  360 degree reviews or anonymous surveys are also helpful tools that can inform you of blind sports in your practice.

AN EXAMPLE FROM MATT

One of my biggest challenges is staying sharp, mentally and physically, day in and day out.  I feel very strongly that my effectiveness, and behavior, is directly related to the amount of energy I have available.  Over the past few weeks, I felt ineffective, but couldn’t quite figure out why.  Physically, I felt fine. And mentally? I thought I was sharp.  Still, something was missing – I was getting by, not getting better.

In the offseason, we do a lot of instructing and a heavy emphasis is placed on refining techniques and building skills.  When doing a lot of ‘teaching’, I find it easy to get into a pattern that is very directive and very generous with the provision of feedback in an effort to guide the learner to the desired outcome as quickly as possible.  It is as if we work extra hard to reduce the amount of mental effort required on behalf of the learner such that we can make the learning process ‘easier’.  In attempting to accelerate and simplify the learning process by reducing the amount of cognitive energy invested by the learner, pre and post movement, we end up having the opposite effect; we severely limit their learning.  They end up relying on our guidance to make corrections rather than making adjustments based on their evaluation of both the intrinsic and extrinsic feedback they receive from the movement, relative to their kinesthetic concept of what they are trying to learn.

I felt ineffective because I had it backwards.  I became overly concerned with WHAT the athletes needed to do, and didn’t place enough energy into HOW those interventions were carried out.  As a result, what needed to happen (their learning), didn’t.

So, what did I do to make the corrections?

To start, I set different goals for the day.  The goals focused on the learning environment we created, as opposed to the specific content that was to be learned.  My aim was for the client to be more cognitively engaged than in sessions past.  My plan to achieve that goal was twofold.  First, I wanted to ensure that I was cultivating the athlete’s capacity to accurately detect error.  The goal was to provide them with the opportunity to contrast what they did vs. what they intended such that they could calibrate their sensory feedback accordingly.  Second, I aimed to optimize the provision of feedback, delaying it until after the athlete had the chance to evaluate their intrinsic feedback, as well as establishing a bandwidth, outside of which prescriptive feedback would be provided.

Next, I wore a GoPro and filmed the day to gauge how successful I was in executing my objectives.  I wanted to see what the environment was actually like.

Below is a video excerpt from a session where we worked with an athlete on developing their control over the speed of their putts.  As stated prior, my objective was to provide the client with a better learning environment; one that challenged them cognitively, technically, and physically.  I structured the activity with the end goal of expanding the capacity of the learner to accurately assess the result of their movement in the absence of feedback, and in improving their ability to detect, and correct, error.  I wanted to help them close the gap that existed between what they think happens, and what actually happens, when they act on a decision.  Check out a brief snippet of the video below to get a better idea for how I ended up delivering feedback in this session.

https://youtu.be/5VHR8Dl5BSg

Was it perfect? No.  But it doesn’t have to be.  I learned more through this critical reflection than I had an any number of traditional educational activities.

What will you do to generate a similar experience?

We’ll give you some time to reflect…

– COREY LUNDBERG & MATT WILSON

The 2017 Nuri Özaltın Gloria Pro-Am week will kick off with a one-day Texas Scramble event, followed by the two-day ‘Gloria Pro-Am’ a rest day in the middle of the week where competitors can sample Gloria’s various world-class facilities, and then finally the two-day ‘Nuri Özaltın Pro-Am’.

Located just 30km away from Antalya International Airport in the year-round holiday destination of Belek, Gloria Hotels & Resorts is a five-star venue and part of the renowned Turkish company Özaltin Holding.

Set where the Mediterranean and the Taurus meet in a total area of 212 hectares, the resort features three hotels – Gloria Golf Resort (opened in 1997), Gloria Verde Resort (opened in 2001) and Gloria Serenity Resort (opened in 2007) – as well as the Gloria Villas and Gloria Golf Club.

Gloria’s 20^th anniversary celebrations will continue throughout 2017 alongside several high-profile events including The Turkish Airlines European Challenge Tour event (April 20-23), the Gloria Ladies Open Week (April 23-30), having already hosted the Confederation of Professional Golf’s Annual Congress and International Team Championship in January.

Away from the golf courses, the famous Gloria hospitality is a huge attraction with 23 sumptuous á la carte and main restaurants across the three hotels to enjoy and superb spa and leisure facilities.

There is no Pro-Am participation fee for each participating Professional with a team of 3 amateurs, with amateur packages starting at €1150 Euros per person:

• Complimentary accommodation in a twin-share room is offered to each participating Professional for 7 nights on all-inclusive basis at the Gloria Hotels & Resorts
• €1150 per person in a Twin / Double room for amateur competitors
• €150 Single Supplement
• 7 Nights accommodation on all-inclusive basis
• 5 tournament rounds on Gloria Golf Club’s 18 hole New and Old Courses
• Free Practice Balls and Trolleys on Tournament Days

For Full Final Scores Visit http://eur.pe/2017Lumine

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For more information about the Confederation of Professional Golf, visit the Tournament Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2017Gloria), follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter and search #GloriaProAm, or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

For more information on Gloria Hotels & Resorts visit Gloria.com.tr.

The sessions will be facilitated by PGA of GB&I Fellow Professional, Kevin Flynn and features a range of diverse speakers:

• David Todhunter – 4D Motion Sports
• Scott Fawcett – Playing Lesson
• Terry Hashimoto – BODiTrak Sports
• Graeme McDowall – Constraints Led Practice
• Adrian Rietveld & Mark Thistleton – Club Fitting
• Nigel Tilley – European Tour Physiotherapist

Date: 2 & 3 March 2017
Venue: North Hants Golf Club, UK
Cost: £195

For more information contact Kevin Flynn @ kevin1flynn@hotmail.com

A field of Europe’s finest professionals and amateurs shared the stage this week (10-12 February) as Lumine Mediterránea Beach & Golf Club hosted its inaugural Lumine International Pro-Am. With a 54-hole stroke play tournament, carrying a guaranteed prize fund of €20,000 for the professionals, being played alongside the Pro-Am, 18 teams arrived in the Costa Daurada to take on the renowned, championship Lakes and Hills courses.

Hot off the back of a tied-third finish at the Confederation of Professional Golf Fourball Championship – held at Lumine over the preceding three days – Lorenzo Gagli (PGA of Italy) managed to hold off his professional counterparts throughout all three rounds and emerged victorious in the individual event with a three-under-par total.

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Lorenzo said of his successful week: “The course is in very good condition, the greens are great and also the weather is a little bit different from the Fourball, and so it is a little bit easier. [Playing in the Fourball has] of course helped because I have played two rounds [at the Lakes Course]… so I know the course a little bit better. The two courses are great, and in fantastic condition… they are good designs.”

In second place was Lumine fan, Bjorn Pettersson (PGA of Sweden): “It was really nice today, the greens are perfect I would say. I like it a lot down here. I’m here pretty often…playing golf and having a good time. I absolutely love it. It’s awesome.”

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Joining Lorenzo in the winners’ circle, after also leading for all three rounds, were Pro-Am team, Eric Colletta (PGA of France) and amateurs, Pierre Fedrigo, J Baptiste Montaut and Simon Cohen. The quartet carded an impressive final round stableford score of 83 points (-11), to give them a total of 256 points (-40).

Calle Carlsson, General Manager, Lumine Mediterránea Beach & Golf Club, said: “It has been an honour to welcome the Confederation of Professional Golf and avid amateur golfers to Lumine for a week of celebration. We’ve seen some outstanding golf and are thrilled our on and off-course facilities and service have ensured our guests a memorable visit. Congratulations to all of this week’s winners.”

Both the Confederation of Professional Golf Fourball Championship and Lumine International Pro-Am were played across Lumine’s renowned Lakes and Hills courses.

Designed by two-time Major Champion and World Golf Hall of Famer, Greg Norman, The Lakes course places more emphasis on golfers’ technical proficiency. Positioned on the lowest lying land on the property, navigating its way through areas of wetlands and natural vegetation, the 6,300-metre par 71 golf course offers a Links design that is a genuine challenge for any golfer.

Meanwhile Lumine Hills undoubtedly gives players the most spectacular views from the resort, rolling through leafy woods of white pine and extensive plantations of olive and carob trees. Stretching across 6,334 metres, the par 72 Hills course rises to offer exceptional views out onto the Mediterranean Sea.

The Troon managed property lies just 50 minutes south of Barcelona and is home to a luxury Beach Club and a state-of-the-art Golf Academy. Neighbouring the property is Europe’s most popular theme park, Port Aventura, a comprehensive meetings and conference centre, the coastal towns of Salou and Cambrils, both renowned for their nightlife and cuisine, and just ten minutes away is the cultural town of Tarragona.

For Full Final Scores Visit http://eur.pe/2017Lumine

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For more information about the Confederation of Professional Golf, visit the Tournament Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2017Lumine), follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter and search #LumineProAm, or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

For more information on LUMINE Mediterránea Beach & Golf Club visit www.lumine.com.

The move will continue O’Grady’s association with the European Tour, which began in 1974 when he joined as a Tournament Administrator after a spell in the City of London. It also continues the recent restructuring programme initiated by Chairman David Williams and the Board of Directors.

Central to that programme has been the desire to utilise the experience of people within the game to promote the European Tour globally in the Ambassador role and O’Grady will join Angel Gallardo in the position – the Spaniard having accepted the honour in December following the announcement he was stepping down as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors.

David Williams said: “I am pleased that George will become a European Tour Ambassador and that we will have the opportunity to continue working together. Relationships are important to us and, as an Ambassador, George will be able to help the Tour as it develops its global footprint.”

George O’Grady said: “I am delighted to accept the role of European Tour Ambassador and thus maintain my long association with the Tour. I am confident that any new additional roles I accept will be of great benefit to the Tour and will assist the current strategies that see the Tour so well positioned at this exciting time for the future.”

O’Grady, 67, became only the third Chief Executive in The European Tour’s history on January 1, 2005, succeeding the late John Jacobs OBE, who supervised the Tour’s formative years from 1971 to 1974 and Ken Schofield CBE, who took over the reins on January 1, 1975. He stepped aside in August 2015 when Keith Pelley took over the position.

The 2017 season sees O’Grady undertake his 43rd year with the European Tour and during that time he has been instrumental in many areas of its development.

In 1984 he launched the development of the Tour’s commercial arm with the formation of European Tour Enterprises, of which he was appointed Managing Director. Together with Ken Schofield he developed the Tour’s non-network television policy in 1987 in a joint venture with Trans World International (TWI). This policy became formalised with the creation, in 1991, of European Tour Productions, the Tour’s television arm.

In his decade as Chief Executive, he led a number of initiatives including the implementation of The Race to Dubai and the Final Series, overseeing the significant growth of The Ryder Cup, securing TV and sponsorship agreements and instigating strong relationships with golfing bodies and fellow Tours across the globe.

After stepping aside as Chief Executive in August 2015, he assumed the President of International Relations role, where his prime focus was helping the successful delivery of golf back into the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro for the first time since 1904.

Last month he was also named as the Honorary President of the Confederation of Professional Golf, taking over from Frenchman Pierre Bechmann – the former captain of the R&A – at the association’s AGM.

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For more information on the European Tour visit the www.europeantour.com.

Here we look at just a few examples of how anyone involved with a golf facility can make impactful and sustainable changes leading to economic, environmental and social benefits…

Electric Equipment Initiative

Bear Trace at Harrison Bay, USA

GEO Certified® 04/2014

Conversion of 18 pieces of gasoline powered golf course maintenance equipment to fully electric powered units allowed The Bear Trace at Harrison Bay to eliminate the use of over 9,000 gallons of gasoline in a single year saving over $27,000, cutting point source CO2 emissions by over 182,000 pounds of CO2, and eliminating possible contamination from leaking or spilled oils or fluids.

More Biodiversity, Greater Savings, Less Maintenance

Carnoustie Golf Links, Scotland

GEO Certified® 12/2013

By minimizing the amount of amenity turfgrass and increasing the size of habitat corridors Carnoustie Golf Links has saved between £2–3,000 since becoming GEO Certified®.  Apart from the cost savings, the creation of habitat corridors acts as a buffer zone between sensitive landscapes and has ensured that habitat fragmentation is kept to a minimum.  With scrub management programmes, the club continues to identify further ways in which to increase these areas.

Reduced Mowing Results in Cost and Nature Benefits

Golfpark Nuolen, Wangen, Switzerland

GEO Re-Certified® 12/2012

By reducing the mowing of the out of play areas by 15%, Golfpark Nuolen has saved €2-3,000 annually.  Subsequently this has encouraged the re-naturalization of native areas and the creation of wild life corridors.

On top of this, any fertilizers that are required for the course have been purchased in bulk in conjunction with 3 other clubs.  This has resulted in savings of €8,000 to each club and bulk purchasing allows for attaining a better product at a 15-30% lower price.

Finding Cost-savings Through Efficient Energy

Coventry Golf Club, West Midlands, England

GEO Certified® 05/2012

Looking to lower electricity use – and costs – Coventry Golf Club completely re-lamped the club’s buildings with low energy, sensor lighting. Solar panels were also installed to help reduce costs, with the excess electricity produced being sold back to the energy company. In the first full year since the work was done, the club cut their electricity costs by 28.5%, amounting to £8,000, which will offset their investment quickly.

OnCourse to Cost and Water Saving at The Home of Golf

St Andrews Links, Fife, Scotland

GEO Re-Certified® 12/2014

After an audit of the irrigation system prompted by their participation in the OnCourse programme, some simple steps were taken to become more efficient. For example, the arcs of water nozzles were altered to avoid watering rough while some others were removed altogether. Overall they accomplished a 25% reduction in water use on a greens cycle and a 20% reduction for the fairways; Subsequently the energy use for the pumping system has also reduced.

Turning Waste into Savings

Broken Sound Club, Florida, USA

GEO Certified® 07/2014

As part of their overall commitment to sustainability Broken Sound Club invested in a Central Composting Facility, to turn all available biodegradable waste into sterilized organic mulch. This is spread on the fairways and used in the landscape beds. $12,000 was saved on fertilizer expenditure in year one and the money invested in the composting facility will be recouped within 4-5 years.

Cost-savings No Rough Task

Hill Side Golf & Country Club, Vihti, Finland

GEO Certified® 07/2012

Finland’s first private golf club considered the amount of rough being maintained and with a more efficient rough maintenance plan they achieved cost savings of €3,500 in 2012. 392 fewer hours were spent mowing rough while fuel and machinery use was reduced. Savings in fuel were part of overall net savings of over €10k from the overall improvements in club resource and management efficiencies.

Looking to Locals for Supplies Cuts Costs and Footprint

Highlands Country Club, Tennessee, USA

GEO Certified® 09/2014

Situated in a remote part of Tennessee, the new outlook Highlands Country Club took to make its supply chain more local has been very successful. For example, the uniforms and sanitary products are now purchased from local suppliers who opened the door to negotiate a better deal for the club; while boosting the local economy and thereby strengthening the outside view of the golf club; and a new point of pride in being part of lowering overall pollution from transport.

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For more ‘Real Results’ examples visit www.golfenvironment.org/get_involved/real_results.

“I played very solid from tee to green [today]….I missed a few putts on the back nine, but it was really windy, so sometimes that happens,” said Individual Professional Winner, Gagli. “But I’m happy I finished with two birdies, so +2 today I think is a good round.

“I didn’t know [if it was enough to win]…but I did my job, so I was proud of my job and I played my best.

“I would like to thank my team, the Confederation of Professional Golf, Lumine Golf Course, and all the pros and all the amateurs…I am very happy for this win.”

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The forecasted high winds ensured that Round 03 was going to be a tough challenge for the players, as the competition returned to the Lakes Course at Lumine Mediterránea Beach & Golf Club in Spain.

The contest was very much in the balance going into the final round, as Gagli held a slender two-shot lead over Bjorn Pettersson (PGA of Sweden).

Gagli had a quiet start to his final round, carding nine consecutive pars. However, he opened the back nine with bogeys on holes 10, 11 and 12.

He immediately hit back with a birdie on the par-four 13th, but lost a further two shots on the next two holes.

Seemingly unphased that his lead could be deteriorating, Gagli birdied the tricky par-three 17th, before a magnificent second shot on the par-five 18th left him with a simple two-putt to finish with a birdie, and card a round of 73 (+2), for a three-round total of 211 (-3).

The competition completed a fantastic week for the Italian, after he finished tied third in the Confederation of Professional Golf’s Fourball Championship just a few days previous, and now takes home the €3,800 first prize.

“Obviously it has been a good week, a good experience…I finished third with Canonica in the Fourball and I won the Pro-Am, so it has been a great week for me.

“I will try [to come back next year], but I would like to play on the main tour next year, but obviously if not, I would like to come here.”

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In second place and three shots back, was the PGA of Sweden’s Bjorn Pettersson, after a three-over third round of 74, gave him a total of 214 (E).

“I am pretty pleased with second place…I tried to get it going today, but it was a little bit too tough,’ said the Swede.

“I knew Lorenzo [Gagli] was going to post a decent number…I tried my best, but it wasn’t enough. It was very windy…a lot of crosswinds made it difficult, and it came from the other direction than normal.”

Pettersson started on the 10th and made two bogeys and two birdies to reach the turn in 36 (E), but started to struggle with the high winds and bogeyed holes four, eight and nine.

“It’s been a great week, such a good start for the season…I like being down here and the weather has been pretty decent, and the golf course is always good. For sure [I’ll be back next year]…I love being here at Lumine, so I’m going to be here again.”

Making up the top three was Gagli’s Fourball partner and fellow PGA of Italy Professional, Emanuele Canonica. The Italian cared five bogeys on his front nine, but recovered to come home in 34 (-2) and give him a round of 74, and a total of 217 (+3) for the competition.

The Team Pro-Am Competition was won by the team consisting of PGA of France Professional, Eric Colletta, and amateurs, Pierre Fedrigo, J Baptiste Montaut and Simon Cohen. The quartet led after all three rounds and carded a fantastic final round stableford score of 83 points (-11), to give them a total of 256 points (-40).

They were two points clear of the team lead by PGA of Great Britain & Ireland Professional, Simon Williamson, who also carded a Round 03 score of 83 points for a 254 point total.

“We’re delighted, we played very consistently for all three of the rounds, and we were just pipped at the post…it was nip and tuck, but the better team won in the end,” said Williamson’s team, David Allott, Susan Allott and Brian Gill. “We’ve had a great week, and I think we’re going to do it again next year…it has been really well organised.”

Finishing in third place with 246 points were Itamar Cohen (PGA of Israel), Mordechai Fishman, Arieh Heanig and Zvi Herskoviz.

For Full Final Scores Visit http://eur.pe/2017Lumine

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For more information about the Confederation of Professional Golf, visit the Tournament Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2017Lumine), follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter and search #LumineProAm, or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

For more information on LUMINE Mediterránea Beach & Golf Club visit www.lumine.com.

Here are some top tips on what to think about before taking the plunge and then when you are on the ground…

1. Put Yourself Out There

If you are looking for a position then put yourself out there – many successful candidates for jobs in other countries have taken the plunge and gone out to the country first to either look for positions, connect and network with people, or perhaps even for a face-to-face interview rather than over Skype or the telephone.  Maybe even take an extended holiday and rent an apartment to get a taste of life there.

2. Research, Research, Research

Research the country, its history, culture and traditions.  You might be going somewhere quite similar to where you currently live but it is almost a certainty that they will do things differently and you should do your best to learn about these and adapt yourself to their country.

@pgasofeurope I took a risk, went to a country I hardly knew. Began to learn another language. It was the best decision I’ve ever made.

— Danny Heard (@danthegolfer79) February 25, 2016

3. Understand the Golf Market

Just like everyday culture, the golf market has its intricacies and nuances in every country. We can see this at the Confederation of Professional Golf quite easily on a day-to-day basis as each and every one of our 37 Member PGAs operates in their own unique way.

Locate some local golfing ‘experts’, journalists, PGAs, their PGA Professionals and the amateur Federation and simply send them an email or ask to meet to discuss how golf works in that country.

@pgasofeurope join the local PGA and slowly gain the respect of the pro community. Better in the long run.

— David Poulton (@doglegpar3) February 25, 2016

4. Get your documents In Order

Speak to your country’s foreign/international office and your national embassy in the destination country to make sure you are doing all the right things.  It’s great if your new employer is going to help sort a lot of it out but you need to ensure you understand everything you should yourself.

Make sure you understand the country’s employment regulations for international workers, what visa requirements there might be, travel documentation require, insurance, and of course any associated costs.

5. Find a Mentor

PGA of Germany Professional, Craig West, moved from South Africa to Germany and suggests having someone with you, at least at first, who can help you translate if required and understands what you need to do to get off on the right foot.  Plus they can be the link between you and other local people, fellow staff members and in the local golfing industry.

@pgasofeurope learn the language as well & as quickly as possible.That opens door to understanding the new culture & gains respect of locals

— Ian Peek (@IanPeekGolf) February 25, 2016

6. Learn the Language

The local language is one of the most important tools you can have when working in a different country.  It makes every day-to-day task easier and can allow you to understand and operate more effectively.  It also means locals will not have to adjust themselves to you as much which is great for building relationships with all walks of life.  Even a few words here and there to begin with can be very beneficial!

(And if they speak your native language there already then learn a new language anyway – it will always come in useful!)

@pgasofeurope most important is 2 learn the language,adapt to the different culture of the people, this way u earn earn the respect.

— neil sweeney (@sweenpga) February 25, 2016

7. Don’t expect it to be easy!

Working in a different country can potentially be the most difficult thing you ever do in your career – not only do you have to do the job effectively, but you also have to adapt yourself into a different environment at the same time. But with well thought-out preparation and commitment then you will be able to do your best in your new position.

@pgasofeurope Great Climate, Lifestyle, Earnings. Didn’t speak German. Stayed 7 years. Had 2 children. Best years of my life. Recommended!

— christian vine (@christianvine1) February 26, 2016

8. Go With It!

Lastly, go with the flow and enjoy it!  Your day-to-day working experience and the enjoyment and benefits you get from working abroad is directly related to how you approach it, so do your best to be outgoing, meet new people, try new foods and experience new cultural aspects to ingratiate yourself into the local life.

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Post your job vacancy for FREE and get expert careers advice at the Confederation of Professional Golf JobZone – visit cpg.golf/careers-and-jobs to find out more.

Round 02 of the competition, played on the Hills Course at Lumine Mediterránea Beach & Golf Club, proved to be a tough challenge for many of the players.

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“I started bad, with a bogey on the 1st and a bogey on the 2nd…so it was a different day from yesterday, but I finished level par and that is okay for the day,” explained leader, Gagli.

The Italian started the day with a three-shot cushion over the rest of the 18 Professional-strong field, but has seen his lead reduced by one going into Round 03.

“There is another day tomorrow…I can play a good round tomorrow with my team and I am confident. I love both courses, so it is okay for me to play both of them.”

The PGA of Italy Professional got off to a slow start, bogeying the first two holes. However, he soon recovered lost ground by making birdie on the par-four 4th and par-five 7th.

Two bogeys and two birdies on the back nine meant Gagli finished with an even-par round of 72, leaving him on five-under for the tournament (138).

Pettersson lies in second place, two shots back, after carding the best round of the day, with a blemish-free 69 (-3).

“I was really good from tee to green today…I hit it very solid and good,” said Pettersson. “I got a few opportunities on the first holes, but missed them all and then I had a good run at the beginning of the second nine, made a few there and that was about it…no bogeys, so I played good.”

After starting his round with 10 pars, the Swede made three consecutive birdies on the 11th, 12th and 13th, and has a two-round total of 140 (-3).

“It was really nice today, there was no wind at all this morning and the greens are perfect I would say…I prefer the Hills Course, it is a lot of fun. I like it a lot down here, I’m here pretty often…playing golf and having a good time, I absolutely love it, its awesome.”

Making up the top three is Emanuele Canonica, who carded a one-under round of 71, which consisted of four birdies and three bogeys.

Canonica played with fellow PGA of Italy Professional, and leader Gagli, in the Fourball Championship and is still very much in contention at the end of Round 02.

Team Colletta (PGA of France) still lead the Team Pro-Am Competition after a second round stableford score of 82 points (-10) leaves them with a total of 173 points (-29).

Colletta, along with amateurs Pierre Fedrigo,  J Baptiste Montaut and Simon Cohen, hold a slender two-point lead over Team Williamson (PGA of Great Britain & Ireland). Behind them on 164 points is the PGA of Israel team lead by Professional Itamar Cohen.

For Full Round 02 Scores Visit http://eur.pe/2017Lumine

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For more information about the Confederation of Professional Golf, visit the Tournament Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2017Lumine), follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter and search #LumineProAm, or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

For more information on LUMINE Mediterránea Beach & Golf Club visit www.lumine.com.

Gagli, who finished tied third in the Confederation of Professional Golf’s Fourball Championship earlier in the week, was once again in fine form at Lumine Mediterránea Beach & Golf Club.

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“I am very happy with my round today,” explained Gagli. “I played a solid round with five birdies and no bogeys, and I’m really happy with that.”

On a day when only two players shot under par, the Italian made light work of the Lakes Course that had proved so challenging a few days previous.

“The course is in very good condition, the greens are great and also the weather is a little bit different from the Fourball, and so it is a little bit easier.

“[Playing in the Fourball has] of course helped because I have played two rounds [at the Lakes Course]… so I know the course a little bit better. The two courses are great, and in fantastic condition… they are good designs.

“I would like to win, but I have to think to just enjoy the week and play it shot by shot with my amateurs.”

Gagli reached the turn in 33 (-2) after making birdie on the par-five 2nd and par-four 9th. Birdies followed on the 10th, 14th and 18th, to give him a three shot cushion over the rest of the 18 Professional-strong field.

His closest pursuer, and the only other player in the field to shoot under par, is fellow PGA of Italy Professional Craig Williams who carded a two-under round of 69, which included four birdies and two bogeys.

“I feel I played well out there and hit a lot of greens in regulation” said Williams. “I haven’t had chance to practice much over the winter because I’ve been coaching… but I hope that I keep playing this well and who knows what will happen this week.”

There is a two-way tie for third between Bjorn Pettersson (PGA of Sweden) and Itamar Cohen (PGA of Israel), both of whom shot rounds of even par (71).

The Team Pro-Am Competition is headed by the quartet led by PGA of France Professional Eric Colletta, with a stableford score of 91 points (-19). Playing alongside amateurs Pierre Fedrigo, Marc Olivier Faboumy and Didier Raoul, Colletta and his team have established a six-point lead over Team David Foley (PGA of Great Britain & Ireland). Making up the top three, and only one shot back, are Team Simon Williamson (PGA of GB&I).

For Full Round 01 Scores Visit http://eur.pe/2017Lumine

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For more information about the Confederation of Professional Golf, visit the Tournament Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2017Lumine), follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter and search #LumineProAm, or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

For more information on LUMINE Mediterránea Beach & Golf Club visit www.lumine.com.

Celebrating all that’s great about competitive golf with a week of tournament play, Lumine proudly welcomed back the prestigious Confederation of Professional Golf Fourball Championship from February 6-8.

After three days of competition, England’s Paul Hendriksen and James Ruth (PGA of GB&I) emerged victorious. The pair carded an impressive final round 64 (-7) to secure a 17 under par total, putting them two shots ahead of the field.

Calle Carlsson, General Manager, Lumine Mediterránea Beach & Golf Club, said: “We are extremely proud to have welcomed such a large field of professionals for what has been a very successful tournament. Hosting this event has allowed us to showcase not only the exceptional facilities at Lumine but also the Costa Daurada in its full capacity, which has helped affirm our position on the map as a fantastic tourist destination.

“Our congratulations go to both Paul and James for a fantastic display of golf in testing conditions!”

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The first event of this week’s Lumine Golf Festival saw PGA Professional competitors take on the renowned Lakes and Hills courses at the premier destination.

Designed by two-time Major Champion and World Golf Hall of Famer, Greg Norman, The Lakes course places more emphasis on golfers’ technical proficiency. Positioned on the lowest lying land on the property, navigating its way through areas of wetlands and natural vegetation, the 6,300-metre par 71 golf course offers a Links design that is a genuine challenge for any golfer.

Meanwhile Lumine Hills undoubtedly gives players the most spectacular views from the resort, rolling through leafy woods of white pine and extensive plantations of olive and carob trees. Stretching across 6,334 metres, the par 72 Hills course rises to offer exceptional views out onto the Mediterranean Sea.

Paul Hendriksen (PGA of GB&I), said of Lumine: “The facilities are awesome, both golf courses are very strong, the clubhouses, the practice facilities – everything is really, really good here. We love coming here…this time of year the weather is a bit windy, but I know that’s not the true reflection of the area. It’s great for getting tournament practice in during the wintertime.”

Also praising the first-class facilities at Lumine was Paul’s partner, James Ruth (PGA of GB&I): “Both courses here are lovely and are great for betterball because they give you a chance to make some birdies and score low. Practice facilities and clubhouses are fantastic.”

The Lumine Golf Festival celebrations are set to continue today with the start of the inaugural Lumine International Pro-Am. Played across three days, 10th – 12th February, the tournament calls for one PGA Professional and three amateur players to battle it out over the Lakes and Hills courses. Alongside the pro-am event, professionals will also compete in a 54-hole stroke play tournament for a guaranteed prize fund of €20,000.

The Troon managed property lies just 50 minutes south of Barcelona and is home to a luxury Beach Club and a state-of-the-art Golf Academy. Neighbouring the property is Europe’s most popular theme park, Port Aventura, a comprehensive meetings and conference centre, the coastal towns of Salou and Cambrils, both renowned for their nightlife and cuisine, and just ten minutes away is the cultural town of Tarragona.

For Full Final Scores Visit http://eur.pe/2017FourballChamps

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For more information on the Confederation of Professional Golf Fourball Championship Presented by Costa Daurada visit the Tournament Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2017FourballChamps), follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter search the Hashtag ‘#FourballChamps’, or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

With thanks to LUMINE Mediterránea Beach & Golf Club (www.lumine.com), Costa Daurada (www.costadaurada.info), Cambrils (www.Cambrils-Tourism.com), Golfbreaks.com (www.Golfbreaks.com/pga-pro), La Pineda Platja (www.lapinedaplatja.info), and Salou (www.visitsalou.eu).

Conditions at Lumine Mediterránea Beach & Golf Club in Spain were testing, as they had been all week, with gusts reaching up to 50kph. However, unphased by the high winds, the British duo carded an extraordinary seven-under round of 64 to take home the €6,150 first prize.

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“They were such difficult conditions out there today,” said Hendriksen.  “So we were just pleased to be able to come in with a good score and sit in the clubhouse and let the rest of them try and battle it out, so we’re really pleased.”

“We knew we were going to have to play well today to catch the leaders, and that the wind would be a good thing as if we could shoot a low score then it was going to be tough for everybody to get past it,” added Ruth.

“I play a lot of golf with Paul…and we know each other really well, so that helps a lot…plus we were both in play on pretty much every hole so it was good to not put pressure on either one and that was key really.”

Going into Round 03, the PGA of GB&I Professionals trailed the overnight leaders, Sixto Casabona Navarro & Carlos García Simarro (PGA of Spain), by four shots and were seemingly out of contention.

But many of the 48 PGA Professional pairs that had made it through the two round cut struggled to get into a rhythm and scoring on the Lakes Course was more conservative than it had been on the previous two days.

Having reached the turn in five-under, Hendriksen & Ruth began the back nine with a birdie on the 10th, followed by five pars. Unaware of the scores of the final group behind them, the Brits birdied the par-five 16th and closed their round with two pars; enough to secure the title.

“We had -20 in mind but the wind was a lot stronger than we thought it was going to be…we ended up missing out for birdie on the last, which we thought may not have been enough, but as it happens it was,” said Hendriksen.

Second place fell to coach and pupil combo, Casabona Navarro & García Simarro, who only managed two birdies in their final round of 70 (-1) finishing two shots behind the winners with a three-round total of 199 (-15).

“When you start the last round in first position, then it is difficult to play, but we played very solid tee-to-green,” said Casabona Navarro. “I think the competition is good and next year I think we have a very good chance to take the trophy.”

“It’s hard for us to be at the top, because I do not practice as I am teaching,” said García Simarro, the ‘coach’ of the pair.  “So in the last round it’s difficult for me to hit the ball as well as the last two days…but we are very happy with second position!”

There was a tie for third place between Lorenzo Gagli & Emanuele Canonica (PGA of Italy) and Liam Murray & Xavier Puig (PGA of Spain), both of whom finished at -13 (201).

European Tour winner, Canonica, said, “We didn’t lose the position in which we started – we started third and finished third – and it was a very tough day. We don’t have a lot of chances to play Fourball around the world or in Italy so this one is the only tournament where we can come and have fun to play Fourball.”

Gagli added, “It has been a pleasure to play with Emanuele and I am happy with third place because probably it was too difficult to catch 17-under.”

Similarly, the PGA of Spain pair, Murray & Puig, ended their round in style, carding birdies on the final two holes to finish the day with an even-par round of 71.

“We are happy about the tournament because tied-third is a good result,” explained Puig. “But it was a pity about the final holes – from 12-16 today we played four bad holes – he hit a bad shot, I hit a bad shot – and in Fourball you pay for that, but then we finished birdie-birdie which is ok.”

“It was really tough,” added Murray.  “We felt like we were dropping off the pace a little bit, but turns out we probably weren’t.  The scoring was not that great apart from the guys that won who played fantastic to shoot seven-under in that wind.”

For Full Final Scores Visit http://eur.pe/2017FourballChamps

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For more information on the Confederation of Professional Golf Fourball Championship Presented by Costa Daurada visit the Tournament Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2017FourballChamps), follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter search the Hashtag ‘#FourballChamps’, or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

With thanks to LUMINE Mediterránea Beach & Golf Club (www.lumine.com), Costa Daurada (www.costadaurada.info), Cambrils (www.Cambrils-Tourism.com), Golfbreaks.com (www.Golfbreaks.com/pga-pro), La Pineda Platja (www.lapinedaplatja.info), and Salou (www.visitsalou.eu).

The Spanish duo head up the leaderboard on 14-under (129) after a spectacular round of 63 (-9) in Round 2 of the event presented by the Costa Daurada.

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“We enjoyed it a lot on the golf course and made a lot of birdies out there,” said Casabona Navarro.  “The plan for tomorrow is to play strong tee to green…we will have patience and will enjoy the day!”

García Simarro, Casabona Navarro’s old coach and now playing partner, added, “It’s easy to play with Sixto, and we enjoyed today a lot. It’s going to be a very important day for us [in the final round]…we have won tournaments before but it’s my first time playing in the Fourball and playing with Sixto is fantastic and we will try to make a win tomorrow.”

Although conditions were once again very testing, with many players battling against the high winds, Casabona Navarro & García Simarro made light work of the Hills Course. The Spanish pairing carded two birdies on the front nine and reached the turn in 34 (-2), but an extraordinary seven birdies on the back nine propelled them to the top of the leaderboard.

Their closest pursuers are fellow PGA of Spain Professionals, Liam Murray & Xavier Puig, who are one shot behind the leaders on 13-under (130).

“It was still tough out there – we started off well and after five holes we were three under and we thought ‘here we go again’…we thought we could get under early,” said Murray.

“It’s nice to be in contention to win the tournament,” added Puig. “We have tried to stay relaxed and motivated over these two days and have the best game we can.”

Murray & Puig played on the Lakes Course for Round 02 and shot a blemish-free round of 65 (-6). The pair got off to a hot start to go out in a three-under (35). They then finished their round with a flourish, making birdies on the 16th and 18^th holes, and now find themselves in contention going into the final day.

Jose Luis Adarraga & Pol Bech (PGA of Spain) and Lorenzo Gagli & Emanuele Canonica (PGA of Italy) are tie-third on 131 (-12), after both pairs carded identical eight-under second rounds of 64.

There are many competitors that are in with a chance of pushing for the lead in the final round, including fifth placed David Borda & Jordi Garcia Del Moral (-11) of the PGA of Spain.

With Spanish teams making up four of the top five, it is evident that local knowledge is crucial to successfully tackling the fantastic challenge that is Lumine Mediterránea Beach & Golf Club, especially in such blustery conditions.

48 teams made the cut after Round 02 and will play the final round on Lumine’s Lakes Course to decide who will be 2017 Confederation of Professional Golf Fourball Champions.

The Final Round begins at 09:00am GMT+1.

For Full Round 02 Scores Visit http://eur.pe/2017FourballChamps

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For more information on the Confederation of Professional Golf Fourball Championship Presented by Costa Daurada visit the Tournament Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2017FourballChamps), follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter search the Hashtag ‘#FourballChamps’, or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

With thanks to LUMINE Mediterránea Beach & Golf Club (www.lumine.com), Costa Daurada (www.costadaurada.info), Cambrils (www.Cambrils-Tourism.com), Golfbreaks.com (www.Golfbreaks.com/pga-pro), La Pineda Platja (www.lapinedaplatja.info), and Salou (www.visitsalou.eu).

Although conditions at Lumine Mediterránea Beach & Golf Club were very testing, with gusts reaching up to 45kph, there were some excellent scores being carded.

The PGA of Spain pairings of Javier & Manuel Ballesteros and Liam Murray & Xavier Puig lead the way on seven-under par.

Javier & Manuel Ballesteros are aiming to improve on their third place finish from last year and began this year’s event with a 64 on the Lakes Course.

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“We started a little slow on the front nine, where we were just one-under,” explained Javier.  “I played pretty poor but Manuel played well…this course especially suits Manuel’s game because he is really long and on four or five holes that’s important.

“We don’t have a strategy, we just try to have fun and play as well as we can…It’s only the first day…obviously it would be nice to win together but we don’t think like that for the moment.”

The pair, who are the son and nephew of the late, great Seve Ballesteros, started on the 10th and were even par heading to the 18th tee. However, seven birdies in the next ten holes meant they finished the day at the head of the leaderboard.

Sharing the lead are PGA of Spain Professionals, Liam Murray & Xavier Puig, after their seven-under round of 65 on Lumine’s Hills Course.

“We started off pretty good in tough conditions – it was really windy around the turn but Xavi made four [birdies] in a row,” said Murray. “I haven’t played the other course because I wasn’t feeling right with my back so I rested it and we only played nine on the Hills on Sunday…but I’m just going to ask Xavi where to hit it and trust him really.”

“We tried to play the same game – both aggressive and creating as many chances for birdie as possible,” added Puig. “I’m going to show him the way and he’s going to follow me and make a lot of birdies for sure.”

The duo also started their round on the 10th and carded a blemish-free front nine of 31 (-5). They continued their fine form on the back nine, birdieing the first three holes and ending Round 01 in a dominant position.

Making up the top three, and only one shot behind the leaders, are Calle Carlsson (PGA of Norway) & Bjorn Pettersson (PGA of Sweden). Carlsson, who is the General Manager of Lumine Mediterránea Beach & Golf Club, and Pettersson carded a six-under round of 66 on the Hills Course, with the highlight of their round undoubtedly being an eagle on the par-four 12th.

Chasing the top three are eight pairs who are tie-third on five-under, whilst no less than eleven pairs sit at four-under, making for a very compelling and competitive second day.

Winds are expected to settle for Round 02 of the Championship, as the competitors will switch courses before a cut comes in to play at the end of the round that sees the top-40 pairs and ties continue into the final round over the Lakes Course.

Round 02 begins at 09:00am GMT+1.

For Full Round 01 Scores Visit http://eur.pe/2017FourballChamps

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For more information on the Confederation of Professional Golf Fourball Championship Presented by Costa Daurada visit the Tournament Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2017FourballChamps), follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter search the Hashtag ‘#FourballChamps’, or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

With thanks to LUMINE Mediterránea Beach & Golf Club (www.lumine.com), Costa Daurada (www.costadaurada.info), Cambrils (www.Cambrils-Tourism.com), Golfbreaks.com (www.Golfbreaks.com/pga-pro), La Pineda Platja (www.lapinedaplatja.info), and Salou (www.visitsalou.eu).

From the 6-8 February, 240 PGA Professionals will compete across three rounds battling to be crowned the 2017 Fourball Champions. 14 of the Association’s Member Countries will be represented in what promises to be a hugely competitive contest.

As expected, the PGA of Spain is strongly represented with 80 Professionals in the field, including last year’s winning pair of Gerard Piris Metau and Ivo Giner, who return to attempt to defend their title.

Also lining up are the 2015 winners, Matthew Cort and Craig Shave of the PGA of Great Britain & Ireland. Fellow GB&I Professional, Robert Coles, who was part of the winning pair in 2014, this year joins European Tour winner, Raymond Russell.

Xaiver Puig (PGA of Spain), runner-up in 2016, also returns, but with new partner, Englishman Liam Murray (PGA of Spain). The pairing of Javier and Manuel Ballesteros (PGA of Spain), son and nephew of the late, great Seve Ballesteros, are back to try and improve on their third place from last year.

Jürgen Maurer (PGA of Austria), half of the 2013 Fourball Championship winning team returns with new partner Robin Goger (PGA of Austria).

In-form man of the moment is Alex Wrigley (PGA of GB&I), who produced a dominant display to win the 2017 Mercedes-Benz International Pro-Am at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club last week by four shots. He partners with fellow PGA of GB&I Professional Steven Fawcitt.

With continued, valuable support from the Costa Daurada, the Cambrils, La Pineda Platja, and Salou local tourism agencies, along with Golfbreaks.com, the Championship will no doubt be the biggest and best yet.
For more information and to enter visit http://eur.pe/2017FourballChamps

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For more information on the Confederation of Professional Golf Fourball Championship Presented by Costa Daurada visit the Tournament Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2017FourballChamps), follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter search the Hashtag ‘#FourballChamps’, or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

With thanks to LUMINE Mediterránea Beach & Golf Club (www.lumine.com), Costa Daurada (www.costadaurada.info), Cambrils (www.Cambrils-Tourism.com), Golfbreaks.com (www.Golfbreaks.com/pga-pro), La Pineda Platja (www.lapinedaplatja.info), and Salou (www.visitsalou.eu).

The Aegean Airlines Pro-Am has developed a long-standing legacy of bringing top-quality golf to the Messinia region of Greece, giving Professionals and amateurs alike the chance to experience Costa Navarino’s excellent facilities.

The hugely popular event is known around the world for its quality both on and off the golf course, with the field of 60 Teams enjoying entertainment at the various après-golf events throughout the tournament week, along with 54 holes of golf on The Dunes and The Bay Courses.

2016 saw Scotland’s Carly Booth take her first Confederation of Professional Golf Sanctioned Event victory and the winner’s cheque for €7,000 after a final round 67 secured the first female professional win since the Pro-Am began in 2006.

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There is no Pro-Am package fee for each participating professional with a team of 3 amateurs. Complimentary accommodation in a double room (no extras) is offered to each participating professional (and spouse/partner) for 5 nights on BB basis at Westin Resort, Costa Navarino.

Amateur Pro-Am packages begin at €1,490 and include:

• 5 nights BB accommodation at Westin Resort, Costa Navarino
• 2 Aegean Airlines Pro-Am rounds (1 day at The Dunes Course and 1 day at The Bay Course)
• 1 Official practice round (1 day at The Dunes Course or 1 day at The Bay Course) Participation in the Aegean Airlines Cup 2017 – 1 round / 18 holes, 10/06/2017
• Bus transfers (Kalamata airport to/from Hotel – transfers to/from Dunes & Bay Courses) Golf Practice balls
• Buggies shared for all rounds
• On-course refreshments and snacks for 4 tournament rounds
• Welcome pack with gifts
• Welcome reception and social event
• Gala dinner & Prize giving Ceremony
• Lottery ticket for Gala

Pro-Am package information can be found at www.aegeanproam.com, http://eur.pe/2017Aegean, or by downloading the registration form at http://eur.pe/2jSclaR.

For More Information and to Enter Visit http://eur.pe/2016Aegean

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For more information visit the Tournament Hub Page follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter and search the hashtag ‘#AegeanProAm’ or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

Find out more about the Aegean Airlines Pro-Am and Aegean Airlines by visiting www.aegeanproam.com.

[Images courtesy of Dimitris Andritsos Photography – dimitrisandritsos.gr]

The award, named after the Confederation of Professional Golf’s first Chairman, is awarded to individuals or organisations in recognition of their impact on, and services to, golf.

Paramor is the deserving winner of the award having worked as a rules official for the European Tour for over 40 years, becoming one of the most highly respected and esteemed referees in golf, and playing his part in the evolution of the Rules of Golf and the way that they are taught to golfers and PGA Professionals across the globe.

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“I feel very proud, but obviously not worthy,” said Paramor. “I’ve loved my life in golf so this is the icing on the cake really, it’s absolutely fantastic.

“I’ve been very lucky to work with some fantastic people, some absolutely brilliant players and I owe them for the chance that it’s given me to try and help them.

“I’m also lucky to have worked with some great administrators in the game…Ken Schofield at the start – he employed me and John Jacobs was very much on the scene at that time too.

“The first people I worked with were George O’Grady and Tony Gray, so I was able to take all their best points – well I hope I did anyway – and use them as my own! And now of course we are in the era of Keith Pelley who is bringing a freshness and a vibrancy to the game itself.”

Paramor began his golfing career as a player but moved away from the thought of playing for a living having seen the likes of Neil Coles, Bernard Hunt and Peter Butler play, whilst caddying for the latter.

With a fascination for the Rules of Golf, Paramor was able to join the European Tour in 1976 as a Referee. Over the coming years Paramor would progress to become a Tournament Director in 1979, Director of Tour Operations in 1985 and subsequently Chief Referee in 1991.

Since then he has overseen some of the biggest tournaments in the world and has recently passed his 100th Major Championship as a referee and is not far from his 1000th tournament. He has refereed some of the greatest golfers of all time and in 2016 was the Chief Referee at the return of Olympic Golf in Rio

For More Information On All of 2016’s Award Winners Visit http://eur.pe/2016AnnualCongress

Paramor was presented with his award at the Association’s Gala Awards Dinner having led a session with Annual Congress Delegates earlier in the day on some of the many highlights he has had throughout his career.

“It’s very special to be present at the Annual Congress because, certainly from a rules perspective, so many of the Professionals in Europe, and Member Countries of the Confederation of Professional Golf have to anchor the rules and teach the youngsters coming into the game. So they have a very strong and important role in the future of the game.

“It’s been great to be here and be amongst the PGAs, trying to pass on a little bit of the fun that I’ve had so that they can take that forward…hopefully helping European golf to be stronger than ever.”

There is little sign of Paramor’s involvement and authority in the rules world diminishing and having had such influence in the sport for so long ensures a lasting legacy will remain for many years to come.

“I hope I can continue to a point just before the players want to get rid of me! But I want to make sure that hopefully I’ve left the game in a better place than when I joined it.”

Paramor joins an illustrious roll of honour with fellow Christer Lindberg Bowl winners including Annika Sorenstam, Jaime Ortiz-Patiño, Neil Coles, Sir Michael Bonallack, Ken Schofield CBE, Joe Steranka, IMG and recently appointed Confederation of Professional Golf Honorary President, George O’Grady CBE.

Having been runner-up in the event in both 2015 and 2016, Wrigley followed up his course record round of 63 (-7) in Round 03 with a three-under par round of 67 to close the tournament in style on 14-under par (266).

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“It was a totally different day to what we’ve been used to out here with no sun,” said Wrigley.  “A lot more wind than we’ve normally had, so it was a little bit of a grind.  Chris was on for a really good round and fortunately he fell a little bit shy of me.

“I love this place, I can read the greens really well and the holes just seem to suit me…even the new nine holes…the win fills me with confidence for the rest of the year.

“I’m also really happy for my team too, to finish second is fantastic and I’m really pleased for them.  I had my dad and granddad out here along with Neil.”

In windy conditions, only four players were able to shoot under par for the day, in the event supported by Mercedes-Benz, Eastern Motors LLC, and Abu Dhabi Sports Council.

One of the four was another PGA of GB&I Professional, Chris Gane, who emerged from the pack to put down the only challenge to the eventual winner.

Gane started seven shots back, but made great strides for an excellent six-under round of 64, to leave him ten-under (270) for the tournament and holding the clubhouse lead.

However, seemingly unphased by the mounting pressure from Gane, Wrigley continued where he left off in the third round and birdied the par-four 4th and the par-five 7th to complete a blemish-free front nine of 33 (-2). 

A bogey followed on the 12th – only his second bogey in 54-holes – but he soon recovered the shot, making birdie on the par-four 14th. Another birdie on the 18th capped off a fantastic week for Wrigley, who came agonisingly close to winning twelve months ago where he had lost out in a two-man playoff.

The two Brits were well clear of the rest of the field, which was headed by Ondrej Lieser of the PGA of Czech Republic.

Lieser shot a three-under round of 67, consisting of four birdies, to end with a four-round total of 275 (-5). After struggling in the first round, Lieser produced some great golf to complete a top-three finish.

The Team Pro-Am Competition concluded in Round 03 and was won by the team consisting of PGA of Greece Professional Christos Nikopoulas and amateurs Nikos Valsamidis, Sungjin Hwang and Moonwon Jo, who managed to maintain their Round 02 lead and win by nine points with a total of 268 points (-42).

“I had a great team…we nearly didn’t show up as I only had one amateur, but the guys here found me two excellent amateurs who played great,” said Nikopoulos.  “The course was very good and we enjoyed it a lot…the hotel and venue are very good.  I will come back and, as I said to the team, this is a winning team so we won’t change it for next year!”

Finishing in second place with 259 points was the team made up of Individual Professional winner, Alex Wrigley, and amateurs Jonathan Wrigley, Neil Ashby and John Fawcett, after they scored the best team total of the day with 94 points. Michael Nesbit’s (PGA of GB&I) team of Stephen Dixon, David Lawson and Tony Brown completed the top three with 258 points.

For Full Final Scores Visit: http://eur.pe/2017MercInt

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For more information on the Confederation of Professional Golf visit the Tournament Hub Page, follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter search the Hashtag ‘#MercIntProAm’, or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

To find out more about Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club visit www.aesgc.ae.

The PGA of Great Britain & Ireland Professional shot a bogey-free second round and started the day in joint second, five shots behind overnight leader, Mark Ridley. However, Wrigley soon closed the deficit and pulled clear of his fellow Brit.

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“I started off really well being five-under through seven, but then hit a brick wall bogeying nine and struggling for pars,” explained Wrigley.  “But then I holed a birdie putt on 12 and made 18 in two and holed the putt for eagle.

“The new layout is great actually compared to last year, it is a different test with a bit more strategy required… I’m getting used to it and today was the best one yet!

“It will be good fun tomorrow… I know Mark [Ridley] very well and we are good friends, and I know Darren [Bragg] as well so we will hopefully have a really good day.”

Wrigley was in tantalising form, shooting five birdies on the front nine to reach the turn in 31 (-4).  Another birdie followed on the 12th and he finished his round off with a spectacular eagle on the par-five 18th, to leave him on a three round total of 199 (-11).

His seven-under round of 63 sets a new course record and puts him three shots clear of his closest challenger going into the final round.

In second place is the PGA of GB&I’s Mark Ridley who shot a round of 71 (+1) giving him a total of 202 (-8) for the tournament. Although Ridley struggled to score as freely as he did yesterday, managing only one birdie on the par-four 14th, he is only three-shots back of the leader and well within striking distance.

Darren Bragg (PGA of GB&I) completes the all-British top three after a good two-under round today and is five-under for the tournament. Filip Eriksson (PGA of Sweden) and Chris Gane (PGA of GB&I) are both on four-under and will need very low scores tomorrow to keep themselves in contention.

The team consisting of PGA of Greece Professional, Christos Nikopoulos, and amateurs Nikos Valsamidis, Sungjin Hwang and Moonwon Jo, held on to their lead to win the three-round Team Pro-Am Competition by nine points. The team scored an excellent 93 points (-23) to finish with a total of 268 points (-42).

“I had a great team…we nearly didn’t show up as I only had one amateur, but the guys here found me two excellent amateurs who played great,” said Nikopoulos.  “The course was very good and we enjoyed it a lot…the hotel and venue are very good.

“It was my first visit here and it was my first win at a Confederation of Professional Golf event.  I will come back and, as I said to the team, this is a winning team so we won’t change it for next year!”

Finishing in second place was the team led by Alex Wrigley (259 points) who scored the best team total of the day with 94 points. Team Nesbit (258) complete the top three with Team Bragg (256) and Team Gane (256) in tie-fourth.

The Team Pro-Am Competition has been a great contest and the Individual Competition is set up perfectly for what promises to be a compelling final round.

For Full Round 03 Scores Visit: http://eur.pe/2017MercInt

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For more information on the Confederation of Professional Golf visit the Tournament Hub Page, follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter search the Hashtag ‘#MercIntProAm’, or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

To find out more about Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club visit www.aesgc.ae.