Destination Mexico is the aim for duo from Decoy in Pro-Am

A duo from Ashby Decoy are one step away from brightening up a dismal British summer by securing a trip to Mexico.

Amateur Peter Finighan and professional Andrew Miller will next week team up for the regional final of Europe's biggest pro-am competition, the Virgin Atlantic PGA National Pro-Am Championship.

The pair will face some tough competition in the Midland round at Coxmoor Golf Club on Wednesday, June 27, where they will play one round of better-ball medal play.

Sixteen regional finals will take place throughout June and July and the winners from each will book their place for the 36-hole Grand Final at the Moon Palace Golf and Spa Resort in Cancun in December.

Having finished second at this stage two years ago, Miller would love to get the opportunity to play at the Jack Nicklaus-designed course.

"We've got a fair chance," he said. "It will be tough but we've got a good chance.

"Someone has to go through.

"We finished second two years ago; that was quite good but hopefully we can go one better.

"I've played at Coxmoor in a British Open qualifier six or seven years ago. It's nice, a very good course.

"We've both got to have good games to go through."

For Finighan it is very much stepping into the unknown.

He earned a spot alongside Miller when he won the club qualifying competition with a nett score of 63.

"They have a monthly medal at Decoy which I played in," Finighan explained.

"I was fortunate enough to win it and the prize was to go away for this Pro-Am tournament with Andrew.

"I didn't expect to win the medal. There are some good golfers down at Ashby Decoy.

"I just played well on the day and won quite well.

"It's never happened before and it might never happen again.

"If I play as well as I did that day we'll have a chance.

"You hope you're going to play well.

"I think we've got a fair to middling chance – as much as anybody.

"I've never played in one of these before and never been in this position before so it's all new to me.

"It's very exciting.

"We'll just go to enjoy the day and see how it pans out.

"As long as we don't come last we won't be too disappointed.

"Andy's good company so we should have a good day. We have a laugh and a joke.

"I'm looking forward to playing with him.

"Hopefully we'll have a good day."

The tournament, which is supported by SkyCaddie and BMW, draws in more than 50,000 competitors from across Great Britain and Ireland and is now its 28th competitive year.

The PGA National Pro-Am has a prize fund of £30,000, with the winning professional at the Grand Final taking home a cheque for £5,000.