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22 July, 2008

Duo Get Second Shot At Making Final

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Scottish duo Paul Wardell and Guido Biccochi have an added incentive to do well in the Gulf Air PGA Pro-Captain International Challenge, supported by BMW, having come so close to winning the 2007 grand final.

The Whitekirk pair held a slender one-stroke first day lead on the His Majesty's Golf Course in Bahrain but dropped back on day two and missed out by three shots.

Fortunately the pair have a chance to put things right as Biccochi has a two-year term of office at the club near Edinburgh as opposed to the one usually found elsewhere.

And so they will return to Crail, the scene of their qualifying victory last year, on Wednesday July 30 as they attempt to book a return trip to the Middle East.

"It is an excellent trip and you are looked after really well," said the 38-year-old Wardell, who has had a few practice rounds with six-handicapper Biccochi, 32.

"We led after the first round but we not able to just finish it off."It would certainly be interesting to go back again.

"Guido and I have played a few pro-captain matches and as we are quite friendly, and have already had one year at it, it will make a difference for us.

"We've got a one in 30 chance (there are 29 other pairs in the qualifier) and we'll go there and play it one hole at a time.

"Because it is betterball format if you get someone who is consistent the other player can be more aggressive.

"It is a team game as it is very difficult to go out there as a pro and shoot eight or nine under."

The duo carded eight under at Crail to win by one nearly 12 months ago, overtaking West Lothian professional Alan Reid and his captain Derek Pickens.

Reid returns this year with a new partner, 50-year-old scratch golfer Alan O'Neill, aiming to go one better.

"There was an element of being teased at last year's qualifier as we cleared the rest of the field by two and then the Whitekirk boys came in with a 64," said the 34-year-old Reid, who has been at West Lothian since March last year.

"It was a high to a considerable low very quickly. We had almost secured the dream trip but it was not to be as someone played that one shot better.

"It was a great effort and hopefully we can go one better this time.

"It is such a phenomenal prize what a privilege it would be to achieve that."

The winners of the qualifier will book their place on a luxury trip to the Middle East at the end of the year, which begins by being chauffeur driven to the airport and includes a stay in a five-star hotel with the 36-hole final being played at the The Royal Golf Club in Bahrain.

Each of the PGA's seven regions provides one pair for the final, which is supplemented by the host club's professional and captain and the winners of an international qualifier.