Portugal success would be the perfect send off

Amateur Martin Waghorn believes winning the grand final of Lombard Trophy in Portugal will be the perfect send off for the father of playing partner Nigel Onions.

Wolstanton Golf Club duo Waghorn and Head PGA Professional Onions have a chance of winning Europe’s biggest pro-am when they 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.

Onions and Waghorn clinched their spot in Portugal after winning their regional qualifier at Little Aston Golf Club in June thanks to a seven-under par 65, which also earned them £450.

It was a special win for Onions, whose father passed away three days before the regional qualifier, and now Waghorn wants to go on and win the event in his memory.

He said: “I think it will be very special for Nigel and it would be the icing on the cake if we were to win it. We’ll be playing for his dad but we’ve got to enjoy ourselves.

“If we were to win it that would be very special for Nigel. He’s been trying to qualify for this even for quite a few years now, so for him to qualify and then lose his dad that’s pretty special.

“For me it would be a massive achievement. It already had been a huge achievement to qualify and make it down to the final 14, but it would be very special if we were to win it.”

The Wolstanton Golf Club duo have had t-shirts made especially for the grand final and Waghorn is counting down the days until he jets out to the Algarve. 

He added: “I’m getting a bit excited now, everything is falling into place nicely. We’ve had some t-shirts made so we’re going to look the part in Portugal.