2024 Platinum
Host to two Ryder Cup contests in the mid-1930's, the famed Lancashire stretch of links and dunes will provide a stern 72-hole test for the 156 competitors in the Glenmuir Club Professional Championship, sponsored by the Scottish leisurewear manufacturers for a record 12th successive year.
As well as picking up £10,000 the winner earns 10 points towards selection for the 2005 PGA Cup match (the club pros' version of the Ryder Cup), being held at The K Club in Ireland in September. Next year's championship offers double points towards selection. He also enjoys automatic entry into the 2005 PGA Championship, and exemption into final qualifying for the 2005 Open Championship - plus the use of a top-of-the-range Peugeot car for a year.
The 10-man PGA Cup team which lost to the Americans in Florida 17 months ago, have been exempt from the various regional qualifying rounds held throughout the country this summer. And one of them, Paul Wesselingh, can look back on a superb record in this championship.
Since he first began making an impact on the Glenmuir, in 1997, the Kedleston Park (Derby) pro' has twice been runner-up, and tied fourth, fifth and sixth in the last seven years. And his noteworthy achievement this summer was qualifying for the Open at Royal Troon, and playing all four rounds, tying 68th place for a cheque worth £9,250.
Putting that performance into perspective - among those stellar performers who missed the cut were Furyk, Harrington, Garcia, Daly, Norman, Curtis, Lehman, Faldo and Bjorn.
Local knowledge could tip the scales in favour of the host club's pro', Jim Payne, winner of the Italian Open in 1996 and a seasoned campaigner on the European Tour until 2000, but short on competitive outings this year.
Said Jim "I've played just a couple of pro-ams this summer (tying for victory in the Bill Beaumont Classic at Hillside in early July with Hesketh's Scott Astin), but, as host pro', I receive an invite to play in the Championship."
He was full of praise for the course on which Great Britain and Ireland won the Ryder Cup in 1933, but lost over the same test four years later.
"It's a great set-up. Two holes that most of the players will remember are the opening one - a par-three that's a real tester of 205 yards - and the par-five 16th, where your second shot is played blind, and there are huge bunkers to negotiate. That's probably the signature hole on the course."
Others likely to offer a stern challenge to Wesselingh, Payne and to defending champion, Gordon Law from Uphall include Scott Henderson from Aberdeen, the European Tour's Rookie of the Year in 1997; Jon Cheetham (Mobberley), and Irishman John Dwyer from Ashbourne.
After Wednesday's second round the leading 50 and ties will contest the final 36 holes on Thursday and Friday.