A QUEST to win Europe’s biggest golf pro-am begins for Jeremy Gilbert and his Sand Martins PGA Professional Symon O’Keeffe when they tee up in a forthcoming Lombard Trophy regional final at Camberley Heath Golf Club on June 14.

In one of 14 regional finals staged across the UK, the pair will compete against 64 other clubs with the winners going through to the 36-hole final at Portugal’s Pestana Vila Sol Golf & Hotel resort on the Algarve in September.

Gilbert landed a chance to have a tilt at qualifying for the grand final when he won his club qualifying competition with a score of 41 points.

Gilbert, is a 46-year-old service manager from Wokingham. He has been playing golf for 30 years and plays off a handicap of 20.

Meanwhile, O’Keeffe, 42, has been a professional at Sand Martins for four years.

Lombard, the UK’s largest asset finance provider which invests in local and regional business, has enjoyed a long association with the event, helping make it the biggest pro-am in Europe.

Ian Isaac, head of Lombard, added: “We’re delighted to once again be working with the PGA to offer the opportunity for professional and amateur golfers to play in this very exciting competition.

“We’d like to welcome all the golfers taking part in the 2016 Lombard Trophy and wish everyone the best of luck.”

The tournament attracts entries from upwards of 700 clubs across Great Britain and Ireland. Lombard originally sponsored the tournament from 1995 to 2006 before returning as headline sponsor in 2013.

Last year’s winners were PGA Professional Jason Levermore and amateur partner Ben Steed from Channels Golf Club, Essex.