Manson and Sloan flying the flag for Edenmore

Edenmore Golf & Country Club duo Andrew Manson and Wayne Sloan have a chance of winning Europe’s biggest pro-am when they compete in the grand final of the Lombard Trophy in sunny Portugal next week.

Head PGA Professional Manson and amateur Sloan will go head-to-head with 14 other clubs in the 36-hole showdown in the Algarve.

More than 700 clubs entered the popular PGA National Pro-Am Championship which reaches its climax at Pestana’s stunning Vila Sol Golf & Resort Hotel on the Algarve from September 21-22.

Manson and Sloan clinched their spot in Portugal after winning their regional qualifier at Carton House Golf Club back in June thanks to a countback after finishing on seven-under par 65, which also earned them £412.50.

“I’ve been playing at Edenmore for about ten years but never been anywhere close to a final like this before,” said 40-year-old Sloan, who is a manager at a forklift hire company and plays off a handicap of six.

“I’m not sure why we haven’t entered it before,’ he said. “I think we just wanted to try and give some value to the members, and we certainly have done that!

A nett eagle at the 11th hole helped boost their back nine score - but a birdie at the 18th hole proved crucial in qualifying.

Sloan added: “We had a few dodgy holes at the start but then it just all came good on the back nine and I tried to help it along the way.

“The team we were playing were quite a way behind us and when we’d finished we thought we’d posted a really good score, so we knew we could be in with a chance of winning.”