Trish and Kym are top of the class

Amateur Trish Formoy (left) with professional partner Kym Larratt.

Leicestershire teacher Trish Formoy is heading to Portugal with former pupil Kym Larratt to play in the WPGA Lombard Trophy Final.

And Kibworth Golf Club amateur Trish admits the event will be ‘a biggie’.

The duo won their regional qualifying event to book their trip to the Algarve.

Ladies European Tour player Larratt teamed up with Formoy to win by three shots at Cheshire’s Dunham Forest Golf Club after posting a six-under-par round of 66.

They will be joined in Portugal by last year’s winner Nikki Dunn, from Darlington’s Dinsdale Spa Golf Club, and her amateur partner Kate Brown.

Also qualifying for the Portugal final are Ormskirk Golf Club duo Ali Gray and amateur player Doreen Hesketh.

Formoy used to teach Kym at school which meant they needed no introduction at Dunham Forest.

But it was Kym’s father, PGA Professional Bob, a former European Senior Tour Professional, who encouraged his daughter to compete in the Lombard Trophy.

“We saw Bob when we got back and he’d been really excited seeing the scores coming in,” said Trish.

“It was his idea in the first place that we went in for it. And it all fell into place perfectly. I don’t think we’d thought we’d won it at first.

‘We were changing out of our wet clothes as it had rained during our round and it got a bit soggy.

“And after that we were still top of the leaderboard, it took a while but we soon realised we were off to Portugal.

“The final is in term time as I am due to work at Leicester High School, but this is quite a deal, a biggie, a PGA Final and certainly the biggest event I’ll ever have played in. So I shall be going!”

The pair made a stunning start, reaching the front nine in 30 before a level back nine.

“We came out of the gates at a gallop, but Kym and I get on very well and we were quite relaxed having travelled up in the car to the event.” said Trish.

“We weren’t over-thinking it and played a blinder to start with. I just played my own game.

“We were in the same group as Nikki Dunn and playing with her and Kym raised my game.

“To be honest, we didn’t know what we’d need to do to win it, but it was more than enough.

“I got back to 36 WhatsApp messages from club members!”