Licata favourite for Marston’s Matchplay

Bristol Golf Centre’s Giuseppe Licata, who dominated the Gloucester and Somerset PGA scene last year, is the top seed for the Marston’s Matchplay Championship which opens the new season at Chipping Sodbury next week.

This year Marston’s Brewery are sponsoring an event which will draw the leading 16 players in the two counties before the start of  a series of weekly medals, mainly on Wednesdays, in Gloucestershire and Somerset.

The curtain raiser features the top players from last year’s Total Triumph Order of Merit. Cirencester’s Ed Goodwin is the second seed at the other end of the draw and he has enjoyed plenty of success in the past.

But the experienced George Ryall (Players Club) is also in the lower half so could be a danger although he faces a tricky opening match as defending champion Daryl Kelley (Filton) is his opponent. A hand injury limited Kelley’s appearances last winter which means an early clash with a high-ranked seed.

For the first time this year, thanks to Marston’s added support into the prize fund, a Plate competition will also be contested by the first round losers.

County chairman Andrew March (Brean) said: “Our two big events are at each end of the winter season and everyone is always keen to get one of the 16 spots for the Matchplay.

“Chipping Sodbury is a great venue, as proved by the success of the recent Marston’s West Region PGA Championship, so we will be assured a worthy Marston’s Matchplay champion.”

The action gets underway on Wednesday September 19th at 8.30am on the Beaufort course.

First round draw:  Licata v Tom Duke (Filton), David Haines

(Burnham/Berrow) v James Keitch (unattached), March v Tom Hiscock (Henbury), Nick Ellis (Naunton Downs) v Paul Gravell (Players), Goodwin v Louis O'Regan (Thornbury), Robin Goodey (Chipping Sodbury) v Kevin Pitts (Mendip), Ryall v Kelley, Ashley Mansell (Clevedon) v Peter Garratt (Naunton Downs).

The first medal is staged at Cirencester on September 23.