Burnham and Berrow host Order of Merit chase

All the leading Wales and West players will be chasing valuable Order of Merit points at Burnham and Berrow next week in the West Region PGA Championships.

The race for has never been closer. Richard O’Hanlon (St Kew), Sion Bebb (Morlais Castle), Ashley Mansell (Clevedon) and Lee Thompson (Dudsbury), the runner-up in the last event, the Players Championship at Cumberwell Park, are neck-and-neck at the top.

Former PGA Cup captain Jon Bevan (Sherborne), Barry Austin (Downes Crediton) and Chris Gill (Newquay) are a few points adrift as their nearest challengers after three of the five scheduled events.

The leading three players qualify for the Play-Offs with a chance of claiming a start in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. Paul Hendriksen (Ivybridge), who finished in the top ten in the Play-Offs last year, and former Wentworth champion Scott Drummond are close enough to make up ground.

The West Region Championship for the Lidgerwood Trophy dates back to 1920 and the winners read like a who's who of West Country golf stars, among them former Open champions Reg Whitcombe, Max Faulkner and Alf Perry as well as 14 Ryder Cup players including Peter Alliss, Bernard Hunt, Gordon Brand Jnr and Phillip Price.

Recently it has been extended to feature four championships.  Adam Frayne (Yelverton) won the major award and also the assistants’ crown at Saunton last year. Saunton professional and this year’s PGA Cup captain Albert Mackenzie claimed the seniors’ title although he is not defending this year.

Ladies European Tour winner and last year’s Welsh Professional champion Lydia Hall (Hensol Golf Academy, Cardiff) beat previous winner Tracy Loveys (Bigbury) to the women’s title.

Many other accomplished players are in the field, among them European Tour winners George Ryall, (Burnham & Berrow) and Gary Emerson (Remedy Oak) who are favourites to compete for the seniors’ prize.

Previous winners  Cumberwell champion  Mark Searle (High Post), Richard Dinsdale (Asbri Golf), Matthew Dearden (Vale Resort), Toby Hunt (St Mellons), Mark Wiggett (Dudsbury), Kevin Harper, (East Devon) and former European Tour man Andy Beal, now secretary at Salisbury & South Wilts, plus up-and-coming young players Craig Melding (Neath) and Nicky Maddison (Saunton) should also feature.

North Cornwall course The Point at Polzeath will host the final event, the Order of Merit Finale, for this season’s 30 leading PGA professionals. The 36-hole event on October 4-5, which is preceded by a pro-am, will determine the final Order of Merit list.