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06 December, 2007

London Calling

Published in:

London will again be calling for Britain and Ireland's top assistant professionals after The London Club agreed to host the Powerade PGA Assistants' Championship in association with FootJoy for the next two years.

The prestigious Kent club has staged the event for the past three years and will now host the PGA's oldest championship in 2008 and 2009.

Next year's 54-hole tournament will be held at the course from August 13-15, which is expected to see Middlesbrough's Jonathan Lupton return to defend the crown he won in superb style in August.

PGA chief executive Sandy Jones expressed his delight at the championship's return to The London Club.

"It's great news for the Association and its young players that we have agreed with The London Club to stage the PGA Assistants' Championship at this great venue for the next two years," said Jones.

That view was echoed by Richard Baldwin of Coca Cola Enterprises, the principal sponsors of the event.

"We are delighted to be able share in the announcement with the PGA that we have agreed with The London Club that the event will continue to be held at this most prestigious location over the next two years," he said.

"We are also pleased to confirm the continued link with our best selling sports drink, Powerade, for this event.

"We would like to wish the best of luck to all the assistants in 2008 in their endeavours to qualify for the final in August, and we look forward to meeting them at The London Club."

After successfully staging of the past three tournaments, The London Club is again looking forward to laying on the style and maintaining the same high standards over the next two years.

"The London Golf Club is delighted to once again be working with the PGA and Powerade for the Assistants' Championships," said manager Heath Harvey.

"Their commitment to holding the event at the club for the next two years is a tribute to the hard work of all the staff here. Having been the venue of choice for the past three tournaments, we will once again strive to deliver the PGA and the players with a superbly conditioned course and first-class all-round facilities."

The final will again carry a top prize of £5,000 with the winner also receiving an invite to the BMW PGA Championship - the European Tour's flagship event.

The PGA Assistants Championship was established in 1930, preceding the US Masters by four years, and is viewed as the one of the hardest titles to win as players are only eligible to enter during their three years of training.

Since its foundation there have been some notable winners of the tournament including Dai Rees (1935 and '36), Peter Alliss (1952), David Thomas (1955), Neil Coles (1956), Tony Jacklin (1965) and Barry Lane (1983).

Rees is one of only three men to have won the title more than once with Harry Weetman achieving the feat in 1949 and 1950 and Matthew Tottey securing victory at The London Club in 2003 and 2005.