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Woodhall Spa Will Test Glenmuir Challengers

The Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) rarely misses the chance to play its major events on superior courses - and this year is no exception.

02 June 2005 1 minute read Woodhall Spa Will Test Glenmuir Challengers

Its flagship tournament, the 72-hole Glenmuir Club Professional Championship, gets under way on Tuesday 14 June over the Hotchkin course at Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire, considered to be England's finest inland course and recently voted number 46 in the world by Golf Magazine of America.

 

The top club pro's from Great Britain and Ireland have all come through qualifying rounds in their eight respective areas, joining an exempt group that includes the champions of the last two years, Gordon Law (2003) from Uphall, West Lothian, and defending champion, Tony Nash from Lostwithiel, Cornwall.

 

Also spared the test of regional qualifying are the top 20 from last year's final, plus the 10 members of the most recent PGA Cup team, the which lost to the United States at Port St Lucie, Florida in 2003.

 

The Woodhall test this time will no doubt produce a worthy champion, but also plays a major part in the make-up of this year's team to challenge the Americans, at The K Club, Dublin in September in what is effectively the club pros' version of the Ryder Cup.

 

Points are awarded to the 10 top finishers (20 to the winner, 18 to the runner-up and so on) - double those awarded last year, to ensure that players currently in form benefit.

 

Players have already been doing their sums, and one of the most significant factors is that four of last year's points earners are absent this time around.

 

Thus, one member of the 2003 PGA Cup team who picked up no points last year has already calculated that finishing seventh at Woodhall Spa will be enough to gain selection. The winner banks £10,000 from a prize fund of £78,000. This will be the 13th year of sponsorship by the Scottish golf and leisurewear manufacturers.

 

The 36-hole Glenmuir Women's Club Professional Championship is likely to have a new champion. Winner of the last two titles, Alison Gray, caught the headlines two years ago at St Andrew Bay, where she made light of a five-month pregnancy in beating Catherine Panton-Lewis in a play-off.

 

A year ago the Ormskirk pro' retained the title at Southport & Ainsdale, as five-month-old daughter Georgia was cared for by Alison's mum.

 

"This time I'm going to be eight months pregnant on the day I'm due to tee up", she confided. "And I've some real doubts as to whether I'll play. I'm OK hitting balls. It's the walking that's tiring. My husband Geoff has left it up to me but it's likely I will not be playing in the Championship."

 

In her absence the main challengers could be Lysa Jones from The Oaks club at Aughton in North Yorkshire, who shot a two-under 71 in the qualifier at Kedleston Park, and the former Sara Forster, now Mrs Clinton (Herne Bay), who carded a level-par 73.

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