Friends Provident International (FPI) is delighted to announce sponsorship of Isle of Man professional golfer, Tom Gandy. FPI will become the Rowany Golf Club based player’s first new major sponsor of the season, as he takes his quest to break into the very top echelons of the game to a wider international audience in 2020.

Steve Weston, FPI’s Interim CEO said: “As a major employer in the Isle of Man with particularly strong connections to the south of the Island, our sponsorship of Tom is a great fit. We will now all be following his progress with extra interest and seeing the FPI logo at tournaments around the world.”

Following two seasons on the UK-based EuroPro Tour, Tom’s blistering finish to 2019 saw him rack up a series of Top 10 finishes and reach the final stage of European Tour Qualifying School in Spain in November. Competing against a hungry field of over 150 players, Tom’s finish of Tied 29th earned him full Challenge Tour playing privileges for the coming year, only one tier below the full European Tour and competing regularly against the likes of Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose and Lee Westwood. However, Tom’s performance in Spain is likely to see him receive a number of invitations to full European Tour events during the season. Across both Tours, Tom’s events this year will have a distinctly more international feel as he can expect to play on at least 3 continents, carrying the Manx flag to around a dozen countries.

Friends Provident International has been established on the Island for over 40 years, and employs 200 people at its Head Office in Royal Court in Castletown, which has been their base for 25 years. Most of the staff there are no strangers to Tom as he has worked in their offices for the past two winters, regularly spending his lunch hour on the range at nearby Castletown Golf Club as in preparation for his summers of travel to the UK mainland to compete in the EuroPro events.

FPI’s two-year sponsorship agreement will provide Tom with some welcome stability in his financial planning, as the costs of competing increase as he steps up a level for 2020. In addition to wearing the FPI logo on his shirts, Tom will act as an ambassador for FPI, including hosting a Friends Provident International Golf Day later in the year.

Steve Weston added: “We know Tom well from his time with us over the past few years and are delighted to be able to continue our association through this sponsorship agreement.”

See www.fpinternational.com for further information on Friends Provident International.

Friends Provident International is a trading name of Friends Provident International Limited.
Friends Provident International Limited is part of the Aviva Group.

They say that “..form is temporary, but class is permanent..’. Over the past few months, Isle of Man pro, Tom Gandy, has shown plenty of both as he continues what looks to be a relentless march towards realising his dream of competing at the very pinnacle of his sport on golf’s European Tour. His latest success, a third place finish in the penultimate stage of qualifying for that coveted playing card on next year’s European Tour, means that Tom has now notched up and incredible run of 7 consecutive Top 10 finishes in all events since The Irish Masters in late August, including the final three events of the regular EuroPro season, the end of year Tour Championship, and the first two Stages of ‘Q School’, the qualifying process to progress to the ultimate prize in European golf. This incredible run of form leaves Tom only 6 rounds away from his dream, as he tees up in Spain starting on Thursday for the most important week of his life, seeking to earn the right to compete alongside the likes of Rory Macilroy, Justin Rose and  Sergio Garcia at events all around the globe.

The Stage 2 event held at Alenda, near Alicante, in Spain was scheduled to finish on Sunday, but some very un-Spanish weather – especially the wind – wreaked havoc with the timings and saw players have to return on the Monday to complete their 4 rounds. However, Tom’s experience and recent confidence ensured that the delay didn’t faze him and he showed real composure in his last dozen holes to pull himself comfortably out of the pack and ensure he was ell inside the Top 20 required to progress to Stage 3.

“I was one under par when the wind kicked up on about the 7th hole and things got tough. I had no idea of what the scoring would be like, and I missed chances on the 7^th, 8th, and 9^th. The 10^th and 11^th were directly into the very strong wind and, after safely negotiated the 10th for par, my 6 iron into the 11^th green came out flush and straight at the flag, finishing 6 feet away from the hole. I rolled that putt in, then birdied two of the next three, which let me relax and enjoy the closing holes – even though they were into the now ridiculous, Rowany-esque wind.”

This latest success was the culmination of a long, tough week as a number of delays due to the wind meant that players were taking three days to play a single round at one stage. Fortunately for Tom, he had plenty of support to keep his mind off the delays and help him stay in the zone.

“I had my brother Jay with me, who was amazing, keeping spirits high and then making me quickly refocus when it was time to go back to work. I also had Ant and Helen Collis out to cheer me on, friends who have been incredible supporters for a number of years so it was great to have them there to watch. I was pleased with my performance, in spite of the tough conditions, in what is probably one of the biggest tournaments I’ve ever played in and hope that I’m doing the island proud, including my unbelievably supportive family and girlfriend!”

This Q School Stage 2 success came hot on the heels of a really solid performance in the Tour Championship event a little further down the Spanish coast at the Desert Springs resort. A fantastic first round had put him bang in contention and it is a measure of how far Tom’s expectations have risen that his eventual Tied 10^th finish was almost a disappointment. However, it was enough to cement a Top 30 finish on the season’s Order of Merit – no mean feat considering he had a poor start to the season and the disproportionate pay cheques that winning attracts. While victory at Desert Springs would have lifted Tom up one level next year, earning him a place on the intermediate Challenge Tour, this week’s six rounds now offer him an even more powerful launch pad; the opportunity to jump straight onto the European Tour and into the front room of golf viewers, not only across the Isle of Man, but worldwide. One thing is for sure – wherever his golf takes him, he will be proudly flying the Manx flag wherever he goes.

“I’m absolutely delighted with the result and getting through to Final Stage, where my dream of becoming a European Tour player is a lot closer than it ever has been. My great current form has come just at the right time, and I am looking to build on those seven top 10 finishes in my last seven starts. If I can keep that run going, I’ll be a European Tour player for 2020!”

On behalf of Isle of Man professional golfer, Tom Gandy, Vannin Sports Management is delighted to announce Tom’s partnership with another popular Isle of Man company, the Bespoke Group IOM. The Group have kindly agreed to support Tom with his transport requirements for both the remainder of the 2019 season, and throughout 2020, by providing him with a branded vehicle to use both on the Island, and for his journeys to the mainland (and occasionally continental Europe). As well as transportation peace of mind, this lets Tom display his very proud Manx roots when he travels to compete. Coupled with the support he receives from the Isle of Man SteamPacket Company, Tom now has two fantastic Isle of Man transport brands helping him carry the Manx flag to the top of professional Leaderboards around the country.

Balancing his desire to get back home to the Island as often as possible with the rigors and commitments of the PGA EuroPro Tour, Tom racked up nearly 20 000 miles last year. Frustratingly, he had just seen his second vehicle in 18 months give up the ghost when the Isle of Man element of the Bespoke Auto Group stepped in to offer him a lifeline.

“I was devastated when my car was deemed uneconomic to repair during one of the events in the South of England about 6 weeks ago. It was originally my mum’s which she kindly donated after my own one had reached the end of the road last year. I was totally reliant on it to get me to and from all the events. The worry that this would prevent me from finishing the season was very real and I’m sure this contributed to a poor week on the course.”

“The support from the Bespoke Group IOM has been a real lifeline. It’s no coincidence that my form has really picked up since they supplied the car and finishing the PGA EuroPro season with a run of three Top 10 finishes is my best run of form in 2 years as a professional. It’s also amazing to be able to fly the Manx flag so visibly around the country and show how proud I am of my Manx roots.” – Tom Gandy

“It’s fantastic to be able to support one of the Island’s top athletes as he looks to put the Isle of Man firmly on the golfing map. We can already boast some amazing courses; it’s great to have produced a player who has proven himself able to compete at this level and hopefully beyond. Here at the Bespoke Auto Group we have a truly international focus and we are delighted to be able to take our brand across the UK and emphasise the specific links that the Isle of Man part of the group has with the local community.” – John Reynolds: CEO Bespoke Group IOM

Tom has 2 final challenges in the 2019 Season: the PGA EuroPro End of Season Championship, which will be held at the Desert Springs Resort in Spain in late October, and where Tom’s recent form will make him one of the pre-tournament favourites; and Qualifying – or ‘Q’ – School which will take place in 3 stages over the next 6 weeks, and where Tom begins his journey on the 9^th of October in the Stage 1 section held at Golf D’Hardelot, in France.

Thanks to the support from Bespoke Group IOM, he can look forward to a comfortable and reliable trip.

Isle of Man pro, Tom Gandy, made it three Top 10 finishes in a row as he signed off the regular PGA EuroPro season with a fine Tied 7^th finish in the Newmachar Golf Club Challenge at Newmachar Golf Club in Aberdeen. After opening with two rounds of 3 under par 69, Tom continued his excellent recent record of climbing the Leaderboard on the final day when a bogey-free last round of 66, containing an impressive 6 birdies, saw him elevate himself into another great finishing position, 4 shots behind Scottish winner Jack McDonald. This fine run of form sets Tom up perfectly for a great finish to the season in both the End of Season Championship in Spain at the end of October, and the challenge of Qualifying School (or ‘Q School’) where he will attempt to earn himself a place on the full European Tour for the 2020 Season.

Building on the confidence of his two previous starts, Tom felt he was in a good position at the start of the week. However, despite his first two round being sub-70, he still felt he wasn’t quite striking the ball as well as he could.

“The first two rounds were very, very hard work – and stressful. I wasn’t playing well but was managing to do enough good bits to post a score.”

However, one call made all the difference.

“I played much nicer golf in the final round versus the first two days. I hit it a million times better after a phone call to Charlie (Tom’s coach) to sort out my swing.”

Those six birdies on the final day of the regular season means that Tom qualifies for the End of Season Championship, or ‘Race to Desert Springs’ in 30^th place in the Tour Order of Merit – exactly the midway point of the 60 players who qualify to tee it up in Spain in late October. However, his recent run of form ensures that he will go into the event as one of the pre-tournament favourites, looking to better his performance last year where he finished in a Tie for 18^th place.

Sincere best wishes.

Graeme Gault
Managing Director
Vannin Sports Management

PGA EuroPro Tour:
PDC – Studley Wood Oxfordshire

Manx golf star, Tom Gandy, continued his excellent recent form this week with his second successive Top 10 finish on the PGA EuroPro Tour in the Professional Darts Championship sponsored event held at the Studley Wood Golf Club in Oxfordshire. Despite some blowy conditions over the 3 days, Tom kept up the momentum from his career-best finish the previous week, again striking the ball with conviction and precision. Brimming with confidence after his first EuroPro Top 5 finish in the Irish Masters less than 7 days earlier, he was on the pace from the very first tee, shooting three sub-par rounds of 71, 71 and 70 for a 7 under par total, 5 shots behind eventual winner Billy Hemstock.

However, the final Leaderboard did not quite tell the full story as Tom’s excellent start to the closing round saw him in a tie for the lead after 3 excellent birdies in his first 5 holes. However, a combination of the leaders playing behind him starting to rack up the birdies ,and an unlucky start to the back 9 where an aggressive birdie putt on the 10^th green raced past the hole and turned into a heart-breaking bogey, effectively ended Tom’s hopes of a maiden EuroPro victory. Despite this disappointment, Tom gathered himself to ‘go again’, finishing strongly with 3 birdies in the final 3 holes to cement a second consecutive Top 10 finish and end the week Tied 7^th, a result which saw him climb another 9 places in the Tour Order of Merit to 33^rd position – a career high – with only one week of the regular season to play. Although his qualification for the end-of-season Tour Championship in Spain was already fairly secure following last week’s result in Ireland, this is now mathematically confirmed and another good finish in Aberdeen in two weeks will likely see him finish in the top half of the 60 qualifiers for that event. 

Speaking after his round, Tom said “This was another strong week and further evidence that all of the work I’ve been putting in off the course with my coaches is starting to pay off. It was tough going earlier in the season and having to stay patient and wait for the results to come was hard but now I feel that it’s paying off and it feels great to confirm my place at Desert Springs.”

Tom has been supported by a number of large and small businesses from both the Isle of Man and the mainland over the season. However, this week’s event sponsor, Anthony Collis Flooring, had a more hands-on approach than normal. As he did for a couple of events last year, Anthony acted as caddy for the week, as well as providing Tom with accommodation at the Blue Tin Farm Shop, the family business based just over the border in Berkshire.

Tom added “I was really grateful to have Anth caddying for me. We have a good record together and we have a great craic out there which is important as, even when I was dropping a few shots ,he managed to keep me entertained and relaxed, rather than dwelling on any bad shots.”

As well as the birdie-birdie-birdie finish, Tom had another reason to smile on the final day. Some light traffic on the road back to Liverpool meant that he made the early evening SteamPacket crossing back to the Island in good time for the weekend – and to enjoy a well-earned week off back home.

Sincere best wishes.

Graeme Gault
Managing Director
Vannin Sports Management

PGA EuroPro Tour:
Irish Masters – County Wicklow

Isle of Man pro golfer Tom Gandy took a giant step towards ensuring that he qualifies for the PGA EuroPro Tour Championship for the second consecutive year with a hugely impressive performance at the Irish Masters event at the Tulfarris Hotel and Golf resort in County Wicklow last week. An 8 under par total of 208 saw him finish in a Tie for 4th place, the best EuroPro result in his career so far and enough to catapult him from 70th place in the Order of Merit up to 41st. With the Top 60 all guaranteed a place in the end of season finale in Desert Springs in Andalucía, Spain, in late October, and only two tournaments of the normal season still to play – in Oxfordshire this week and in Aberdeenshire later in the month – this means that Tom can effectively start making his travel arrangements and start to dream of a successful end to the year on a course that his Top 20 finish last year proves he clearly enjoys.

Playing in what he described as “..some distinctly Manx weather…” over the three days, Tom was a model of consistency throughout the tournament. Rounds of 70, 70, and an outstanding final round of 68 saw him get to within two strokes of the lead briefly on the back 9 before running out of holes to catch overnight leader Marco Penge who, after a front 9 wobble, reasserted himself in the final few holes to win by one shot with a 12 under par total.

“It was a good, solid, week…I played particularly well in the final round, and was striking the ball lovely all day, despite some tough conditions.”

For those who like their stats, Tom was Tied 6th in birdies (with 15), Tied 1st on scoring on the Par 3s, Tied 12th on the Par 4s, and Tied 16th on the Par 5s. This consistency and momentum is very timely – not only are the end of season events looming large in the minds of all the players, but also the small matter of the Annual Qualifying opportunity for the full European Tour – known colloquially as ‘Q School’ – which is the holy grail for aspiring European Players. Here, they will fight for the opportunity to rub shoulders with Rory McIlroy, Justine Rose, and Tommy Fleetwood at all of the major events over the 2020 season. Tom’s journey on that particular adventure starts in Golf D’Hardelot in France on the 9th of October, hopefully culminating in a successful campaign at Lumina Golf Club in Tarragona, Spain, in mid-November.

Despite earning his maiden victory in a Jamega Tour event back in May, the PGA EuroPro Tour represents a distinctly higher level of competition and last week’s great result is Tom’s first Top 5 finish in one of these events. This is all the more significant as the Top 5 players all earn Official World Golf Ranking points, meaning that Tom has earned his first point on the very top level of internationally recognised golfing excellence. For any statistics addicts out there, if they were to google ‘OWGR’ this week and search for Tom Gandy, they would find him sitting a dozen or so place above a certain Fred Couples – proof that as the old guard gradually fade away, there are always rising stars on hand to take their place.

The next one just might hail from Rowany Golf Club on the Isle of Man….

Sincere best wishes.

Graeme Gault
Managing Director
Vannin Sports Management

PGA EuroPro Tour:
Nokia Masters – Mannings Heath

As the PGA EuroPro Tour approaches the ‘business end’ of the season, things are starting to come together for the Island’s Tournament Pro Golfer, Tom Gandy, as he appears to be running into a rich vein of form at exactly the right time. It has been a rather roller-coaster ride since his first Professional victory at the Royal Ascot Cup back in May , a memory that was beginning to seem a long time ago after a frustrating run of missed cuts on the EuroPro left him scratching his head and wondering where his next success would come from. However, following a mid-season reset, three Top 20 finishes in the past 5 events have seen him climb into the Top 60 berth in the Tour’s Order of Merit which he needs to once again secure his place in Spain for the end of season Championship, The Race to Desert Springs, held in Spain in October.

Following last month’s finishes of Tied 8th in the Motocaddy Masters, held at Linden Hall in Northumbria, and Tied 16th in the Eagle Orchid Scottish Masters, at Spey Valley in Inverness-shire, the start of August saw Tom return to Mannings Heath Golf Club in West Sussex to compete in this year’s renewal of the Nokia Masters event. – a staple on the EuroPro circuit. The course was in pristine condition and, following an opening day of light winds, glorious sunshine, and low scores, Tom found himself lying just outside the Top 10 after an outstanding back nine of 31 shots helped him card a 5 under par 67 – a score that could easily have been several shots lower as a combination of impressive consistency from the tee and some spectacular iron shots saw a plethora of birdie chances come his way. Days 2 was much harder, however, as the conditions turned stormy, and much less conducive to birdies. As a result, the field started to bunch up as scoring became more difficult and the challenge to players was more about protecting their position, rather than the all-out attack of Day 1. Despite the conditions, Tom held his position and shot a very respectable one under par 71 to hold his position and keep his chances alive for a final day challenge.

As the last round got underway the weather again looked challenging, although as Tom described it “..even windier than yesterday, but still just a standard Manx summer day…”. Again, conditions started to bunch the field up and, as Tom approached his final 6 holes, he was sitting inside the Top 10 and just 3 shots behind the leader. Sadly, a combination of a couple of crucial putts from Tom sliding agonizingly past the hole, and some good birdies from the leaders who were following a few holes behind, meant that Tom finally finished in a Tie for 12th place, 5 shots behind winner James Ross. However, this result was enough to lift him into the Order of Merit Top 60 as, with 5 events left to play, the real jockeying for position starts as players try to cement their place on the first tee at Desert Springs in October.

As a result of Tom’s improved form over the past few events, he was rewarded on his journey away from West Sussex following the event by an email from the Challenge Tour, offering him a place in this week’s ISPS Handa World Invitational Event to be held at Galgorm Golf Club and Massereene Golf Club in Ballymena in Northern Ireland. This late-notice schedule change took some logistical quick-stepping, but within a few hours Tom had manage to rearrange his plans to allow him his first foray onto the Challenge Tour – the next level of competition above the EuroPro events and only one tier below his ultimate goal of earning a full European Tour card and taking the Manx flag to some of the biggest tournaments in the world to compete against the top names in the sport. The event boasts a prize fund of $250000, approximately five times the amount the players compete for each week at the EuroPro events. Anyone interested in following Tom’s progress over the next 4 days can use the following link:

http://www.europeantour.com/challengetour/season=2019/tournamentid=2019758/leaderboard/index.html#/leaderboard

It’s fantastic to see the Manx flag flying at this next level of competition, and I’m sure the whole island will get behind him – especially if he can get himself into contention again for the final two rounds at the weekend.

Sincere best wishes.

Graeme Gault
Managing Director
Vannin Sports Management

Manx Star Golfer Claims First Professional Trophy

Whether you are talking about Horse Racing, Athletics, or Golf, they say the hardest way to win in sport is often from the front.

If this old adage is true, then Isle of Man golfing star, Tom Gandy, certainly chose the hard way to gain his maiden victory as a professional this week at the Jamega Tour Royal Ascot Cup, held at the Royal Ascot Golf Club in Berkshire. Enjoying some welcome sunshine, a combination of commitment, grit and sheer brilliance saw Tom convert a first round lead gained via a stunning six under par 64 into a hard-fought victory with a spectacular birdie at the first play-off hole. This well-deserved success is the culmination of a winter spent on the Island where a focus on serious practice – including getting acquainted with the new Mizuno clubs he will play in 2019 – and steely commitment, and lays down a serious marker for Tom’s potential, and ambition, for the coming season. This follows a highly successful first season of competition on the EuroPro Tour in 2018 which saw him score 6 Top 25 finishes en-route to a 42^nd Place finish on the Tour’s Order of Merit, earning him a spot at the end of season Championship on Spain where he finished a very creditable tie for 18^th.

Tom’s final build up to the 2019 season began last month where he blew away any remaining winter cobwebs with solid Top 20 finishes in each of his two starts on the Portugal Pro Tour. Following a week back at home on the Island, his first UK event last week was cut short by some unseasonal weather, with flooding restricting the event in Oxford to a single round and denying Tom the opportunity to build on a solid first round of level par. However, there was no such steady start to this week’s event as Tom blasted out of the starting blocks with an opening round that contained 7 birdies and saw him carry a one stroke lead into the second day. It was not all plain sailing for the Manx star on day 2, however, as a combination of only a steady opening 9 holes, and some great play by some of his competitors, saw him make the turn 3 shots behind and with some work to do. However, the man from Rowany proved more than equal to the task with birdies on the 12^th, following a great wedge shot to 12 feet, and again on the 16^th, with a perfectly weighted putt, putting him back in control and needing a very makeable birdie on the Par 5 18^th to seal his maiden victory. Unfortunately for Tom, his birdie putt came up agonisingly short, leaving him facing the prospect of a sudden death play-off against England’s Jamie Moul for the title.

The tension mounted as Tom lost the coin toss and had to watch his opponent have first shot into the Par 3 play-off. However, this worked in his favour as, influenced by watching Jamie’s iron shot, Tom revised his club selection and elected to grip down on a 6 iron, rather than try to hit a hard 7 iron, and made a perfect swing, sending the ball straight towards the hole.

“I prepared myself and then hit a great iron shot, straight at the flag to a mere 3 feet – almost tap in range. I had two putts to win from here and managed to roll the first one in to make birdie and win the tournament.”

This maiden victory for Tom represents a great start to the 2019 season as he looks to build on the strong foundations he laid in his rookie year. Beating over a hundred other golfers at this Jamega Tour event reinforces just how competitive he will be over the coming months where he will look to translate this combination of form and confidence into similar results on both the EuroPro Tour and, hopefully, the next level of competition on the Challenge Tour where he had been invited to become and Associate Member.

In addition to being outstanding news for Tom, this win is also a great start to the season for the select band of proud Island companies who are generously supporting him for the coming season. These companies range from well-established Isle of Man brands, such as Tower Insurance (through the Isle of Man Sport scheme), SteamPacket, and travel firm Visit IOM, to some smaller companies such as ScottyDogGolf , Isle of Man Golf Holidays, and even the latest small business to grace Port St Mary, The Sugarloaf Café. Working through a combination of season and event sponsorship agreements, these Island firms’ support for Tom will ensure that he can fund his travels for the coming season. For their part, their association with Tom offers a fantastic opportunity to take their brands and logos on an exhilarating global journey, with the possibility of Tom being invited to fly the Manx flag as far afield as Finland, Morocco, and even China on the Challenge Tour.

However, for now everyone on the Isle of Man will just be delighted to see their flag at the top of the Leaderboard this week in Berkshire.

Sincere best wishes.

Graeme Gault
Managing Director
Vannin Sports Management

The Albatross is not famous for being a symbol of good luck. However, in golf it is a very rare bird indeed, equating to a score of 3 under par on a single hole. That means a hole in one on a par 4, or – more often – a two on a par 5. For the statisticians out there, albatrosses are roughly 100 times less common than holes in one – the odds going from around 12500-1 for a hole-in-one, to around a 1000000-1 for an albatross, or ‘double-eagle’ as it’s known in America. In their respective careers, legends of the game Arnold Palmer and Tiger Woods have had two each, neither in tournament play.

So when Tom Gandy stepped up to his ball in the practice round at last week’s Nokia Masters in Sussex after hitting a monster drive down the 17th fairway, he might have thought he was in good shape to reach the green. He would have expected to walk off with a birdie, possibly even giving himself a putt for an eagle. He did not expect to see his ball disappear into the right hand side of the cup for such a rare score.

Tom picking his ball out of the hole after his albatross in practice.

However, like Coleridge’s Ancient Mariner, this albatross didn’t seem to bring Tom any luck for the remainder of the week. Despite striking the ball very solidly on Day 1, a couple of loose shots – and a stroke of terrible luck with an unplayable lie in a bunker on the 13^th– cost him dearly as two unfortunate double bogeys on his card saw him finish well down the field. A great start to Round 2 sadly came to an abrupt end in the torrential rain when play was suspended due to the storms. Again luck was not on Tom’s side – by a matter of 10 minutes this time. He was -3 for the round starting the 12^th, only to see the club slip on his tee shot and his ball end up in the woods, leading to his third double bogey of the week. To add insult to injury, the klaxon to suspend play sounded just as he finished playing the hole. With the tournament shortened to 2 days, this left little chance for Tom to play himself back into the money although he did come back on the Saturday and play the final 6 holes in 1 under par for a very respectable second round of 70.