SOUTHEND golfing pros Richard McEvoy and Matt Southgate will be proudly flying the flag for Essex when they compete on the European Tour together for the first time ever this week.

The experienced McEvoy’s place at the Open de Andalucia in Spain was already confirmed because of his ranking, but rookie Southgate got the call-up yesterday after late withdrawals.

They are both members and former cadet captains of the Thorpe Hall Golf Club, in Thorpe Bay, and spokesman David Leslie said it will be a proud day for the club when the two men take to the course together for the first time on a fully-sanctioned European Tour event on Thursday.

“I don’t know of any other Essex club which has had two members on the European Tour at the same time like this,” said Leslie.

“And for a club like Thorpe Hall to see its name next to two golfers on the European Tour website is something we are very proud of.

“Of course the next thing we want is for one of them to win one of these titles because I don’t think that’s happened for an Essex golfer since Simon Kahn did it a couple of years ago at Wentworth.

“They are different types of characters – Richard is quite quiet, and Matt is very confident.

“But they are both great competitors, and they have earned their place at these big events, so hopefully they will have a good year now.”

Both men enjoyed a dramatic late showing last year to book their place on this year’s European Tour.

McEvoy, a married father-of-one from Leigh, was outside the top 120th place he needed to keep his playing privileges before producing one of his best-ever showings at the Serengeti Golf Club to claim his biggest purse of the season and retain his spot.

And former St Thomas More High School for Boys-pupil Southgate qualified in his debut year as a professional; he just missed out on an automatic place through the Challenge Tour but responded magnificently to that disappointment by earning his place through the very tough qualifying school in Spain.

Despite the absence of Europe’s Top 10 stars like Rory McIlroy, Luke Donald, Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer – who are currently all playing in the USA ahead of next month’s Masters – the Andalucia has attracted another strong field including Scotland’s Colin Mongomerie, and Major winners Rich Beem of America, New Zealand’s Michael Campbell, and home favourite José María Olazábal.

Colchester golfer Jamie Moul will also be competing at the event, which has a top prize of 166,660 euros.