Golf: Remedy welcomes West's best players (From Bournemouth Echo)

Golf: Remedy welcomes West's best players

7:00am Saturday 13th March 2010 in

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REMEDY Oak will stage its first West Region PGA event in the form of a special shotgun start Pro-Am featuring leading professionals from the West and Wales on September 13.

Glenn Ross, the regional secretary, says that the club’s director of golf Nigel Tokely is lining up a special day. “It promises to be one of the highlights of the season,” he said.

The prestigious club at Wood-lands, near Horton, opened for play in November 2005.

There are Pro-Ams at Ferndown (May 28), Ashley Wood (June 17) and Broadstone (July 6). The schedule includes events at Hamptworth (July 2), Salisbury (August 13) and Weymouth (August 19).

Parkstone stage the Virgin Atlantic National Pro-Am regional qualifier on June 14 and Ferndown host local qualifying for The Open Championship on June 21.

National champions will be among top professional golfers from the PGA West Region competing for an improved approximate £270,000 prize fund during a busy 2010 tournament season.

After an outstanding 2009 when four West Region players won national honours, the list incorporates 50 Pro-Ams and regional secretary Ross is energised by the season ahead.

He said: “We are pleased to welcome 12 new or returning clubs to our schedule, including some who have upgraded their events from county level.

“Having the Ryder Cup matches in our Region will create a fantastic buzz for golf in the South West and Wales. It’s going to be an exciting year.”

The leading three players from the four Order of Merit tournaments will qualify for the end of season Srixon PGA Play Offs at Little Aston with the chance to win entry to some of Europe's biggest events.

Last year’s Bournemouth Alliance captain Michael Watson (Wessex Golf Centre) won the Play-Offs following the success of James Lee (Caerphilly) and former Broadstone assistant Tracy Loveys (Bigbury) in their respective Glenmuir PGA Professional Championships and George Ryall (Players Club) in the Senior PGA Professional Championship.

The OOM begins with the Total Triumph Classic at Oake Manor Golf Club on May 25-26. This also offers leading amateurs a chance to play alongside pros in their own competition.

This is followed by the RCW Welsh Open PGA Professional Championship on June 30-July 2 when a strong contingent of West Region and Welsh players will chase the £30,000 prize fund at Ashburnham. The Forest Classic will be staged for the fourth successive year over the Forest of Dean and Forest Hills courses on August 3-4.

Meanwhile 2009 OOM winner Chris Gill (Exeter) defends his title when the West Region Championship returns to The Players Club, near Bristol, on August 17-18.

The PGA West Region will visit Portmore Golf Park in North Devon for the inaugural West Region Par Three Championship on May 10. The leading two players will qualify for the British Par 3 Championship at Nailcote Hall.

The White Hart Fourball Championship, the Region's longest-running tournament, celebrates its 30th year at Launceston from June 23-24.

The three-day Cornish Riviera Festival – the largest Pro-Am Festival in the UK attracts more than 110 teams – opens the season on April 20-22.