A golf-trip-of-a-lifetime to the Bahamas awaits amateur Craig Keene and his Ogbourne Downs PGA professional Craig Bell if they can come through the regional final of Europe’s biggest pro-am competition, the Virgin Atlantic PGA National Pro-Am Championship supported by SkyCaddie.

The tournament which draws in more than 50,000 competitors from across Great Britain and Ireland is now its 26th competitive year and will be sponsored by the UK’s award-winning long haul airline for the second successive year.

Keene took his first big step towards a luxury six-day all inclusive trip to the island of Grand Exuma between November 23-28, when he won his club qualifying competition with a nett score of 69.

He and Bell now advance to Parkstone Golf Club on Monday 14 June, one of 16 regional finals, where they will play one round of better-ball medal play. The winning professional in the regional final receives £500, and there are valuable prizes for the top amateurs.

The winners at each regional final throughout Great Britain and Ireland will secure their place on board a Virgin Atlantic jet for the exotic trip and the chance to compete in the Grand Final held on the Greg Norman-designed course at Emerald Reef Golf Club, part of the Sandals Emerald Bay Resort, which boasts the only ‘all butler’ service in the Bahamas.

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

Keene, is a 49-year-old motor fitter from Swindon. He has been playing golf for 18 years and plays off a handicap of six.

Bell, 28, has been a professional at Ogbourne Downs for nine years.