Tim hopes Nigel knows his Onions again

Wolstanton Golf Club captain Tom Lowndes hopes Nigel Onions can set up another foreign final at the SkyCaddie PGA Pro-Captain Challenge Midlands A event.

Retired policeman Lowndes teams up with PGA Professional Onions for the event which is being held at Enville Golf Club near Stourbridge on August 14.

They will be hoping to reach the £22,000 final, staged in association with Golfplan, which takes place between November 6-7 in Spain at Arabella Golf Mallorca.

Last year, Onions made it to the final of the PGA National Pro-Am Final in Portugal.

And, as well as raising the profile of the Stoke on Trent club, it was also an emotional moment.

“Nigel had lost his dad Bill just before he qualified for that event last year,” explained Lowndes, aged 64.

“He put his dad’s name on his golf ball when he played the final in Portugal.

“Nigel is very nice guy, everybody’s friend, and great to have as the professional at this club.

“When he got to the Pro-Am Final, it was fantastic for the club, everyone was so pleased.

‘It was a great achievement for this club.  It’d be nice to repeat it in the Pro-Captain, we know the final’s in Mallorca, but don’t hold your breath!

“I’ve been at the club 16 years now, I joined when I retired from the police force but I’ve been playing golf around 30 years now.”

But Stoke on Trent based Lowndes says he and Onions are going to have to move fast to get some practice in before the competition.

“Nigel’s been on holiday so we’ll only have a few days beforehand to meet up, we’ll start preparing as soon as he’s back,” added the Wolstanton captain who plays off a handicap of 13.

“He’s been keeping in touch by text during the time he’s been away.”

Other teams playing in the event at Enville Golf Club include the host pairing of Richard Copsey/Peter Beaman; Gary Stafford/Neil Tilley (Burton On Trent Golf Club);Robert Steele/Ian Tyrrell (Evesham Golf Club); Lee Brotherhood/Phil Cole (Hollywood Golf Club); Lee Bashford/Gary Thompson (Handsworth Golf Club); and Nevil Bland/Roger Howarth (Broctoon Hall Golf Club).

For more information on the event at Enville Golf Club, click here.