Top golfers head to Thorpe Hall

12:17pm Tuesday 13th May 2008

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THE cream of Essex golf will be on view at Thorpe Hall for two days from Thursday.

The 88th Essex PGA Open Championship is to be held at the Thorpe Bay course on Friday with the preceeding pro-am on Thursday.

This event will see both county-based PGA professionals and amateur players, the latter with a handicap of three or less, in action and organisers have a great field of both amateurs and professionals playing this year.

Due to the huge popularity of this event, a pre-qualifying event for 90 competitors was held at Thorpe Hall back in March.

On Friday a field of 60 players will be competing for the ultimate title of Essex PGA champion golfer of the year.

With sponsorship by Fairfield BMW, together with many other local companies, the total prize fund for the event will be a massive £9,000.

A BMW Z4 Roadster is also being offered as a hole-in-one prize on the third hole on the pro-am day, which is also being sponsored by Fairfield BMW.

D Ayton first won the prize in 1920. Percy Alliss, born in 1897 and one of Britain's outstanding professionals between the wars, took the Essex Open in 1923 and 1925.

Sir Michael Bonallack, ranked as the greatest British amateur of his generation, won in 1969.

He crowned his magnificent career two years later when, in his 37th year, he led Britain to a thrilling victory in the Walker Cup match at St Andrews.

Lionel Platts, a Ryder Cup player, took the title in 1962, 1963, 1976 and 1978.

Yet another Ryder Cup player - Brian Huggett - won in 1967, while Reg Knight has triumphed seven times.

And Boyce Hill's evergreen Graham Burroughs has, over the past 17 years, taken the title no less than four times.

Spectators are welcome at Thorpe throughout the two-day action.