An injury sustained riding in a dodgem car almost prevented Warwickshire professional Craig Phillips from playing in the Gulf Air PGA Pro-Captain International Challenge, supported by BMW, but he battled through to win the Midlands qualifier and book a luxury trip to Bahrain.
Phillips was enjoying some free time with his nine-year-old son at Nuneaton Carnival when he hurt his neck and there was some doubt as to whether he would be able to take part at The Leicestershire.
However, armed with a handful of painkillers Phillips and his amateur partner Liam McHugh carded a three-under-par 65 to claim the clubhouse lead.
They were later joined by Scraptoft's Simon Wood and club captain Martin Goode and with no play-off involved Phillips and 13-handicapper McHugh edged through on a countback after having the better back nine by just one shot - 31 to their rivals' 32.
Considering his situation less than 24 hours previously the Nuneaton Golf Club professionals was delighted with his performance.
"Yesterday I couldn't swing a club because I had hurt my neck on the dodgems at the carnival with my son," said the 36-year-old.
"I was struggling and I didn't hit any balls yesterday because of the pain.
"Today I was good and although I felt it a couple of times on the way round I took a couple of painkillers.
"With the elation of winning I didn't feel the pain."
The Nuneaton pair thought they had blown their chance with a bogey on the last hole and then had to face a long wait to discover their fate.
It was close but fortunately for them the numbers added up and both can now look forward to a first trip to the Middle East - which they are fully clued up on having been drawn alongside defending champion and two-time winner Brian Rimmer from Little Aston in the qualifier.
"We had a bit of an anxious wait because of that dropped shot on the last," added Phillips, vice-chairman of the Midland PGA and chairman of Warwickshire PGA.
"On the 18th tee Brian had said to us 'A par at the last and you'll be there!'. He also said it was an absolutely fantastic trip because of the way you are looked after and we are really looking forward to it."
Phillips also revealed he gave his partner a lesson at the weekend just to sharpen him up ahead of the qualifier.
"Liam said he was struggling and so we had a quick lesson - and he started off with a nett birdie today," he said.
The winning pair can now look forward to a luxury trip to the Middle East which will begin with a chauffeur-driven ride to the airport and includes a stay at a five-star hotel during the final.