Four pairs from Surrey are through to the Matchplay Championship Regional Final at Marriott St Pierre and on the brink of competing in the Grand Final at the Els Club, Dubai.

Having come through from thousands of entrants in multiple rounds since last Autumn, four pairs from Surrey are on the verge of sealing their berth to the Dubai Final of the Matchplay Championship, one of Europe’s largest amateur golf events.

Pairs from across the UK and Ireland will compete at Marriott St.Pierre, near Bristol, on Wednesday 6th April in the South Regional Final looking to reach the final stage of the 2010/11 championship which will be contested at the renowned Els Club, Dubai in May.

The teams of John Donaldson and Jon Sheard, playing out of Oak Park Golf Club, David Dower and Craig Baker from Mannings Heath GC and Surrey Downs GC, Anthony Lintern and David Ormerod from Cottesmore Golf & Country Club, plus Paul Danford and Terry McClatchie of Drift GC have all reached the penultimate stage of their very own ‘Race to Dubai’. They will now compete in a better-ball stableford format in front of the Sky Sports camera’s at Marriott St.Pierre 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 TV 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 Marriott St.Pierre next week,” commented 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, and we always have an exciting finish!”

As well as the South Regional Final at St.Pierre, the remainder of the field for the 2010/11 Matchplay Championship Grand Final will qualify from the North Regional Final which takes place at Marriott Hollins Hall on 4th April. From these events, the final 36 golfers from the mixed and men’s pairs will advance to the Els Club, Dubai to compete from 7th-14th May.

In its eighth year, the Matchplay Championship is firmly established in club golfers calendars across the UK. With both Regional Finals and the Grand Final in Dubai being shown on Sky Sports, the tournament offers club golfers the opportunity to play in front of a TV audience in a professional environment.

For further details on the Matchplay Championship please visit www.matchplaychampionship.co.uk where entries for 2011/12 are now open.