Carrolls will make it a family affair at Headfort

A father and son pairing be aiming to reach the Golfbreaks.com PGA Fourball Championship Final in the Irish qualifying event.

Ashbourne Golf Club head professional Ciaran Carroll is teaming up with Dublin-based son Brian (GUI National Academy) for the competition which is being held at Headfort Golf Club on July 26.

The event also takes Ciaran back to the course where his professional career started as an assistant at the Co Meath venue.

And the family combination will be among for a place at the £32,250, BMW supported, showpiece final which will this year be held at Whittlebury Park Golf Club in Northamptonshire between August 16-18.

“I decided to play with my son this year, I don’t play so much these days but he qualified as a professional last year and we thought we’d give it a go. He’s now the head teaching pro at Westmanstown Golf Club,” said Ciaran. “It’s just for the one event, we’ll see how it goes.

“This is the first time we've played together as a team in a PGA event. It usually goes great when we meet up so I hope it does again at Headfort.”

But if Ciaran does reach the final, it would not be a first as he has played it before. His main focus is on coaching these days but he would be happy to make a return to the event this year if his link up with Brian is a successful one.

“I’ve played this event before and made the final when it was held at Hesketh Golf Club. It’s a format I enjoy so it’ll be good to dust the old clubs off again!” he said.

“I used to play this event every year with a friend of mine, but he’s left Ireland now so I’m partnering Brian.

“Headfort is a course I know well of course as I was the assistant pro there 30 years ago. I’ve got good memories from there, but I don’t know the new course at all, just the old one.”