Yorkshire golf professional Phil Boag is hoping history won't repeat itself next week as he and fellow Garforth Golf Range pro Dan Walsh attempt to qualify for the SkyCaddie PGA Fourball Championship supported by Sunderland.
Last year the duo endured a 14-hour golfing marathon which finally ended in the gloom at 10pm - and in defeat as the pair were the last to miss out on qualifying for the final after a six-hole 10-team play-off at Huddersfield's Woodsome Hall.
To make matters worse for Boag, it was his wife's birthday and if being unable to take her out for dinner wasn't bad enough telling her they hadn't qualified just compounded matters.
But Boag and Walsh will try and put right a year on and again at Woodsome Hall on Thursday (July 2) - which once again falls on his wife's birthday meaning a definite resolution is required this time around.
"This qualifier has been on the wife's birthday for the last two or three years now and given it is again this year it's a case of getting the job done at the first time of asking," said 34-year-old Boag.
"The fact we didn't get through to the final was more galling to my wife rather than me missing most of her birthday. It would have at least made it all worth it.
"So I certainly don't want a repeat of last year. We teed off at 8.50am and 14 hours later we finally finished after being involved a 10-team play-off.
"We were in the final two pairs out there chasing the final spot. We played the ninth three times and by the time we reached the green the final time I couldn't see a thing as it was getting that dark. The team that beat us holed a 30-footer but I didn't see it go in!"
Walsh and Boag were making their debut together in the tournament last year with Boag having previously formed a successful pairing with Aran Wainwright (the pair finished in a share of eighth in the 2006 final). Wainwright (Oulton Hall) partners Adrian Ambler (Walton Golf Centre) this year.
The new partnership worked well, however there is one element they need to improve on if they are to make it through to this year's final at Lincolnshire's Forest Pines in October.
"We're going to need to make a few more putts," added Boag.
"We played well last year we just didn't hole enough putts and that was the difference between avoiding the play-off and being in it.
"But I don't play that much anymore; Dan plays more out of the two of us. I play a couple of regional events, like the Leeds Cup, so I enjoy playing the fourball tournament, especially given the format."
The fourball betterball tournament, which carries a £30,000 prize fund, is always a popular event with professionals and this year's field at Woodsome Hall is testament to that with almost 80 teams from Wales, Lancashire, Yorkshire and the North East and Cumbria competing for just a handful of qualifying spots.
Among those looking to qualify are Paul Carmen (Huddersfield) and Simon Edwards (Windermere); Paul Eales (Garstang) and John Twissell (Taylored Golf); Toby Spence and Jody Addison (both Royal Liverpool); Jonathans Lupton and Greenwood (Close House); David Rishworth and Darren Arber (Halifax West End) plus Matthew Tottey (North Wales) and Tim Maxwell (Knutsford).
28 June, 2009