Dixon’s challenge to Watson

Former European Tour winner David Dixon will bid overhaul player-of-the-season Michael Watson and win the PGA of England and Wales South West Order of Merit title next week.

But to do so Dixon must in reality become the Marston's PGA West Region champion at The Players Club, near Bristol, next Tuesday and Wednesday.

Dixon (Enmore Park) won the Saunton Classic and was as dominant in the early season as Watson is now.  He has missed one OOM tournament and, as only five of the six events count, would capture the title with victory next week.

“I am enjoying my golf again and have been playing a full season in the West for the first time,” said Dixon.

“I am recharging my batteries and enjoying family life after spending most of my career travelling. There hasn’t been so much running around and I will stay fresh for the European Tour School in November.”

He gained an automatic ten- year exemption until the final stage after his triumph in the St Omer Open in 2008.

Watson can cap a marvellous season by claiming the famous old Lidgerwood Trophy first offered in 1920 and then can look forward to another chance of playing in European Tour events. The player in form has won eight times in 29 days, including OOM events at Dudsbury and in the Forest of Dean.

The 44-year-old Wessex Golf Centre player is virtually guaranteed to finish in the top three and qualify as a West representative at the PGA Play-Offs in Turkey in November.

He has been drawn alongside Dixon in the first round of the 36-hole tournament and starts as favourite to follow other previous winners who include 1938 Open champion Reg Whitcombe, who claimed a record seven championships in four decades from 1922 through to 1950.

Other Open winners Max Faulkner and Alf Perry, as well as 14 Ryder Cup players, among them Peter Alliss, Bernard Hunt, Gordon Brand Jnr and Phillip Price, have their names on the trophy. Defending champion James Ruth (China Fleet) and his predecessor Matt Dearden (Llantrisant and Pontyclun) also compete.

Former European Open champion Stephen Dodd, winner in 1991, last year’s OOM winner Liam Bond (St Pierre), former Welsh star Paul Mayo and Ian Brown (Newent), winner when the championship was last held at The Players in 2010, are also in the field.