Tour stars join West players in £10,000 pro-am

Somerset cricketer Peter Trego’s benefit will be boosted by a star-studded golf day featuring leading international and West professionals at Woodbury Park Hotel and Country Club, near Exeter, on October 12.

Five international golf stars will join leading West professionals in competing for a £10,000 prize fund in the M J Baker Foodservice Pro-Am.

Recent Austrian Open winner Chris Wood (above) from Bristol, Holland’s Joost Luiten, outstanding Scot Marc Warren, former Broome Manor amateur and Ryder Cup player David Howell from Swindon, and Welsh Ryder Cup man Phillip Price, who beat Phil Mickelson in the final day’s singles in 2002, are confirmed entries.

They join the top 16 players from the Order of Merit following the Marston’s PGA West Region Championship at Chipping Sodbury Golf Club on August 17-19. Three further players, including the West Assistants’ champion, will be added.

Devon sports fanatic Malcolm Baker has linked up with the PGA of England and Wales (South West) as West professionals will be competing for the largest prize fund for a one-day tournament this year. The winner collects £1,250 while the remainder is spread among the other 23 players.

M J Baker Foodservice, based in Heathfield, Newton Abbot, is the West Country's leading independent foodservice supplier and sponsor Somerset’s one-day shirts.

Golfing enthusiast Baker, 58, runs a high quality annual golf day at Woodbury Park and this year is raising the profile for present and potential customers. At the same time he is helping the benefit fund of all-rounder Trego, a four-handicap golfer at Weston-super-Mare Golf Club.

Baker said: “I’ve been playing golf for more than 40 years, I’ve got a few quid, and like to give a little back to sport. In this pro-am I want to do something different and, to ensure complete fairness, amateurs with club handicaps will be drawn for partners on the morning of the event.

“This means any amateur has a chance of being in a team led by an international star. Only a handful of the 72 amateur places remain for an outstanding day. Full details are on the Peter Trego benefit website. If we can raise £8,000 I’ll be over the moon.”

It will be an exhausting but unique day starting with breakfast at 7.30am. A six-hole warm-up fun scramble precedes the two-tee start and the festivities end with a gala dinner when David Howell will hold a question-and-answer session.