Padraig’s big bro is a winner

And the winner is Columb Harrington - Padraig's big brother.

Padraig Harrington's elder brother was one of the winners at the grand final of the 2015 Morocco Matchplay.

Four-handicapper Columb Harrington, 52, and his partner, Kaye Mater, 52, who plays off 28 - both members at Buckingham Golf Club - emerged victorious in the mixed pairs final.

The grand final of all four competitions - the qualifying rounds for which began early last summer - was played at the five-star Sofitel Essaouira Mogador Golf & Spa Hotel, in an event sponsored for a second year by the Moroccan National Tourist Office, and ‘powered by How-did-I-do.'

Moor history than you could shake a stick at.

GolfPunk have stayed there before and we can confirm that it’s an absolutely fantastic hotel – one of our favourites ever. Essasouira is a great place to visit as well, and has a magnificent Portuguese fort. We like that kind of stuff as well.

In addition to their individual trophies, winners were also surprised to receive a free year's membership at Golf de Mogador. Now that EasyJet fly twice a week to Essaouira, it’s actually not a bad idea.

Harrington summed up the feelings of the competitors when he said: "Great people, great fun and the whole thing is very well organised. And in terms of tee placings and things like that, I think they got it right throughout the week."

In total, 32 amateur golfers from across the UK and Ireland qualified to compete in the grand final of four competitions - singles, pairs, mixed pairs and senior pairs. Each finalist - whether in the singles, pairs, mixed pairs or senior pairs' competitions - would have played up to four qualifying rounds merely to reach their regional UK final, from where they earned the right to travel to Morocco.

A killer view rather than a view to a kill.

They enjoyed complimentary return flights to Morocco, five nights' accommodation at the five-star Sofitel Essaouira Mogador Golf & Spa hotel and four rounds of golf at the highly rated Gary Player-designed links-style Golf de Mogador.

The Kingdom of Morocco has 37 golf courses to be enjoyed in year-round sunshine - plus eight more under construction - and, with flight times of less than three-and-a-half hours from the UK and Ireland, it is an attractive alternative to the more traditional golf destinations of Europe.

And, by the way, Essaouira is where the legendary Jimi Hendrix came to hang out in the sixties, but possibly not for the golf.

For more on Columb's younger brother Padraig, click here to read about 'All back to mine' when we visit his man cave.