Lilly Back In The Fold - 25/11/2007

2004 Tour Champion Simon Lilly makes his return to the PGA EuroPro Tour for the Whittlebury Park International Open.

Lilly's victory at the Tour Championship in Mosa Trajectum last year saw him top the PGA EuroPro Tour's Order of Merit.

He has continued his development towards the European Tour in 2005, playing on the Challenge Tour, but will be back in action at Whittlebury Park this week.

Among his competitors at the Towcester course will be the current Order of Merit leader Simon Robinson.

The 24-year-old from Hartlepool became the first player to win three events in a year when he took victory in the recent Golf Pages Classic at Mollington.

"This year has been a dream come true," said Robinson, who also won events at the Swallow Suffolk GC and Morley Hayes in Derbyshire. "I just can't believe it.

"To win once was fantastic but to win three times is just amazing. I'm looking to finish the season strongly and take the next step up to the European Tour."

Robinson has taken over at the head of the Order of Merit from Australian John Wade, a double-winner in 2005.

Six other winners from the 2005 PGA EuroPro Tour will also be playing at Whittlebury Park, with only one event remaining after this tournament before the Tour Championship.

The top 50 players in the Order of Merit will compete in November's Tour Championship, meaning that players have just two more events to secure their place in the event.

"This really is crunch time for the players and it's make or break for their season's ambitions," said PGA EuroPro Tour Managing Director Eddie Hearn.

"The players work so hard throughout the year to give themselves the chance to take that next step, and this will be a crucial event.

"We had a high quality tournament at Vila Sol in Portugal last week, and this promises to be another exceptional week."

The 2004 tournament at Whittlebury Park was won by Michael Nesbit, who edged out Jack Doherty in a play-off after the pair were tied at -10 following 54 holes.

The PGA EuroPro Tour's visit to Whittlebury Park coincides with the centenary of the club's 1905 course.

Arsenal legends Lee Dixon and Nigel Winterburn, members of the club's famous defence which won a host of titles in the 1990's, are among the players to take part in Wednesday's Pro-Am, which precedes the main event.