The New Forest will be the attractive setting for the most important tournament on the West Region PGA calendar this year.

Leading West and Welsh professionals will visit Hamptworth for the final order of merit fixture of the season on September 10-11.

And rich pickings await the winner of the order of merit who will almost certainly claim the honour at the only Wiltshire club in the Forest, a dozen miles from Salisbury.

The winner will not only win an automatic place in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, he will have the chance to compete in the 2008 Srixon PGA Play-Offs at Royal Liverpool, one of the country's most prestigious courses.

The leading three players from each of the seven PGA regions join the race to be acclaimed Great Britain and Ireland's best player.

Last year Sean Mason (Teign Valley), the order of merit winner and the top man at Hamptworth, plus former European Tour winner Andrew Sherborne (The Kendleshire) and Barry Austin (Downes Crediton) represented the West in the play-offs at Nottingham.

The PGA play-offs offer the leading finishers a gateway to European and Challenge Tour events. In addition to the prize money, there are extra incentives at Hoylake on October 21-22.

Leading players gain entry to four of Europe's biggest events - the BMW PGA Championship, Celtic Manor Wales Open, Barclays Scottish Open and European Open as well as selected Challenge Tour events.

Andy Beal, head professional at Hamptworth, said: "If our event matches the quality of the inaugural tournament last year there will be some brilliant golf and an exciting contest."

There has been a change of emphasis this year. The pro-am that was an integral part of the final day last year will now precede the 36-hole event.

There are three order of merit fixtures, the first being the Seabrook Crisps Forest Classic on July 9-10 with one round at Forest of Dean and the other at Forest Hills where George Ryall won the inaugural event last year. It is again being organised by Richard Ballard, director of golf at both clubs.

Chris Gill (Exeter) defends the flagship West Region Championship that returns to Woodbury Park on August 19-20. The event, preceded by a pro-am, is again being sponsored by Waverley (The Beer Seller) who also support the Cornish Festival, and Diageo.

The longest-running tournament, the White Hart Fourball Championship, is staged at Launceston for the 27th year from June 17-18.

A welcome addition to the calendar is an Assistants' Championship with entry restricted to trainees only at Mendip Spring on June 12. A £9,000 three-year sponsorship deal has been arranged with a large group of suppliers to the golf trade.

There are a number of new pro-ams and one-day events to add further spice to the season that opens as usual with the three-day Cornish Riviera Festival played at Trevose, St Enodoc and Newquay from April 22-24.

New events are being staged at Gloucester and The Wiltshire while Rushmore Park and Meyrick Park host new pro-ams in Dorset. Clevedon is again the setting for a pro-am in support of Guide Dogs for the Blind on August 4.

There are five rounds of the Titleist-Footjoy League for young professionals under 30 at Exeter, Stinchcombe Hill, Lyme Regis, Taunton Vale and Bath.

PGA West Region fixtures 2008

APRIL

• 3 Titleist-Footjoy League - Exeter
• 4 West Wilts Charity Day
• 16 Patrons' Day - Saunton
• 22-24 Cornish Festival (sponsored by Waverley TBS) - St Enodoc, Trevose, Newquay
• 28 Glenmuir pre-qualifying - Burnham and Berrow

MAY:

• 2 Minchinhampton old PA
• 7 National Pro-Am qualifier - Saunton
• 9 National Pro-Am qualifier - Cardiff
• 14 Titleist League - Stinchcombe Hill
• 14 Patrons Day - Lyme Regis
• 16 BACTA pro-am - Pyle and Kenfig
• 22 Enmore Park PA
• 23 Ferndown PA
• 28 Playing ability test - Oake Manor

JUNE:

• 2 Cotswold Hills PA
• 3 National Pro-am qualifier -Broadstone
• 4 North Wilts PA
• 5 Patrons Day - Yeovil
• 6 Lilley Brook PA
• 9 Powerade Young Professionals qualifier- Taunton Vale
• 10 Playing ability - Forest Hills
• 11 Saunton Pro-am
• 12 West Region Assistants' Championship, Mendip Spring
• 13 Vivary Park PA
• 16 White Hart PA - Launceston
• 17-18 White Hart Fourball Championship - Launceston
• 20 Forest Hills PA
• 22 Pontypool PA
• 23 Patrons' Day - Kendleshire
• 24 Future Asset Management Pro-am - Royal Porthcawl
• 25 The Wiltshire pro-am
• 27 Radyr PA
• 30 Titleist League - Taunton Vale

JULY:

• 1 Broadstone PA
• 2 Regional Open qualifier - Ferndown
• 4 Minchinhampton New PA
• 6 Rotary Club of St Austell PA- Carlyon Bay
• 9-10 Forest Classic (36 holes) Day 1 Forest of Dean Day 2 - Forest Hills
• 11 Taunton and Pickeridge PA
• 13 Monmouth PA
• 15 Cotswold Edge PA
• 17 Torquay PA
• 18 Gwalia PA - Langland Bay
• 21 Bowood (Wilts) PA
• 23 Stinchcombe Hill PA
• 24 Marlborough PA
• 25 Truro PA
• 28 Playing ability - Radyr
• 30 Ashley Wood PA
• 31 Patrons - Exeter

AUGUST:

• 1 Salisbury and South Wilts PA
• 4 Guide Dogs for the Blind Pro-am - Clevedon
• 6 Titleist League - Lyme Regis
• 7 Glenbrae Fourball qualifier - North Wilts
• 8 Tehidy Park PA
• 10 Maesteg PA
• 13 Trethorne PA
• 14 Weymouth PA
• 15 Cirencester PA
• 18 Waverley (TBS) and Diageo West Region Championship Pro-am - Woodbury Park
• 19-20 Waverley (TBS) and Diageo West Region Championship - Woodbury Park (36 holes)
• 22 Forest of Dean PA
• 27 Gulf Air Pro-Captain Challenge - Cumberwell Park
• 28 Playing ability test - Exeter
• 28 Newport PA
• 29 West Wilts PA

SEPTEMBER:

• 1 Welsh Professional Championship Pro-am - Cardiff
• 2-4 Welsh Professional Championship - Cardiff
• 5 Oake Manor PA
• 7 Exeter PA
• 8 Patrons' Day - Cumberwell Park
• 9 Hamptworth Tournament pro am
• 10-11 Hamptworth Tournament (36 holes)
• 12 Lansdown PA
• 15 Gloucester Pro am
• 16 Meyrick Park Pro am
• 17 Titleist League - Bath
• 18 Cumberwell Park pro am
• 26 Rushmore Park pro am

OCTOBER:

• 3 Pennard PA

9 Sponsors-Organisers Pro-am - Exeter

5:10am Thursday 27th March 2008

Print   Email this