Barrett and Temperley set their sights on Dubai date
Two Griffin Golf Club members are on the verge of sealing their berth to the Dubai final of the prestigious Matchplay Championship, one of Europe’s largest amateur golf events.
Having come through from thousands of entrants in multiple rounds since the autumn, James Temperley and Michael Barrett from the Caddington club will compete at Marriott St Pierre, near Bristol in the south regional final on Wednesday, looking to reach next month’s final stage of the 2010/11 championship at the renowned Els Club - the first course in the Middle East designed by US Open and Open Champion, Ernie Els.
Having reached the penultimate stage of their very own ‘Race to Dubai’, the pairing will now compete in a betterball stableford format in front of the Sky Sports cameras against pairings from across the UK and Ireland.
The Matchplay Championship offers club golfers the unique chance to shine under the pressure of playing in front of a television audience, usually reserved for the world’s best players.
“This is where the championship really starts to heat up and we’re looking forward to a great day of competition at St Pierre next week,” said John Woosey, managing director of the JRW Group, which promotes the Matchplay Championship.
“It’s a great experience for golfers to play in front of the Sky Sports cameras, and when pairs realise they are within touching distance of winning their seat on the plane to Dubai the pressure often starts to show. We always have an exciting finish.”
