Links golf features in strong fixture list

The PGA in England and Wales (South West and Wales) has embraced the finest links golf courses in the area to showcase the talents of professional golfers in the region this year.

The exciting new fixture list, unveiled today, reveals that Burnham and Berrow will stage the West Region PGA Championship, the most prestigious and longest-running tournament on the calendar, on August 8-9.

The famous championship links also hosts West qualifiers for the Titleist-Footjoy Professional Championship and the Lombard Trophy in June.

The season starts on April 19 and ends at North Devon’s world-renown links venues in October.  The season-opener is the Cornish Festival where outstanding championship links courses Trevose and St Enodoc again add lustre to the largest pro-am gathering in the country which also features the spectacular cliff-top Carlyon Bay Hotel and Golf Club at St Austell.

The new 54-hole North Devon Links Festival at both Saunton championship courses and Royal North Devon, the oldest course in the country, closes the season on October 9-11.

Liam Bond (Marriott St Pierre) starts the defence of his Order of Merit title in the ninth successive Total Triumph Classic at Oake Manor, near Taunton.  PGA Cup player Paul Hendriksen (Ivybridge) defends the title on a later date this year, June 8-9. Once again amateurs will have a chance to play alongside the leading PGA professionals on the second day in their own strokeplay competition.

Ross Langdon (Brickhampton Court) defends the Dudsbury Masters, the second OOM tournament on June 29-30 sponsored by Marston's, the UK's market leading brewer of premium cask and bottled ales, through their Ringwood Brewery operation.

The Bournemouth course has become one of the most prestigious hotel, leisure and golf facilities in the country under the ownership of David and Beate Braban.

A pre-tournament pro-am runs on the first day of the final three OOM tournaments. David Dixon (Enmore Park) will defend the PGA West Region Players Championship which returns to Cumberwell Park for a sixth year on July 25-26. The pro-am at the expanding complex near Bath is the most popular of the season.

The West Region Championship embraces four championships. Last year Adam Frayne (Yelverton) won both the main and assistants’ award, LET player Lydia Hall (Hensol Golf Academy) followed her remarkable success in winning the Welsh Championship by taking the West women’s title as well. This year’s PGA Cup captain Albert MacKenzie (Saunton) became seniors’ champion.

An Order of Merit Finale Pro Am is  being scheduled at the Point at Polzeath on October 3. The North Cornwall resort has been extensively developed since Jeremy Davies took over and now features an impressively-improved course, accommodation and extensive leisure facilities.

Young professionals under the age of 30 and club assistants will again feature the Pro’s Sprint League in association with Titleist and FootJoy. The early-season four-stage 18-hole strokeplay event visits Minehead and Yelverton for the first time and returns to Radyr and Cumberwell Park.

The opportunity for young developing players to compete before the busy season gets underway will be rewarded by an approximate Order of Merit bonus pool of £3,500 and a mini equipment contract with Titleist & FootJoy for the leading five players. The winner receives an additional award from golfbreaks.com.

Other featured events include the Celtic Manor Resort 2010 Ryder Cup Celebration pro-am on June 6, the Taunton & Pickeridge 125th Anniversary  Pro Am on July 14 and the Bowood 25th Anniversary Pro Am on August 25. New venues include Clevedon on May 12, Torquay on July 7, Parkstone on July 13 and Minehead and West Somerset on September 5.

Robert Moss, the West PGA secretary, said:  “We have been able to maintain another strong fixture list with excellent additions so can look forward to another busy and successful season. We are still confident of finalising further attractive fixtures.”