Stars Shine At Stoke By Nayland Pro-Am - 28/01/2008

The Stoke by Nayland Club was a popular venue for visitors and golfing enthusiasts looking to spot a few stars as they played in the annual PGA EuroPro Tour Pro-Am on Sunday.

Kriss Akabusi, MBE MA delighted everyone with his infectious enthusiasm for the game, and he later entertained the teams and sponsors as the after dinner speaker at the Gala Dinner in the Devora Suite where he had some guests standing on their chairs for an audience participation exercise!

Six-time World Snooker Champion Steve Davis flew in from Portugal on the same morning to get to Stoke by Nayland in time for the 1.30pm shot gun start.

This was his third visit to the Club to play in the Pro-Am and he commented that it was one of his favourite golf days so was well worth the 4am early morning call!

Of particular interest to the crowds was the standard of golf that Olympic Swimmer Karen Pickering had managed to achieve in the space of only 7 months since she started having lessons with Stoke by Nayland Club professional Kevin Lovelock.

Although nervous at the beginning, Karen soon relaxed in the company of her team members ITFC's Simon Milton, Adam Wheatley and International Professional Paul Curry (pictured), and the team's score was a respectable 69 points." target="_blank" Although nervous at the beginning, Karen soon relaxed in the company of her team members ITFC's Simon Milton, Adam Wheatley and International Professional Paul Curry (pictured), and the team's score was a respectable 69 points." target="_blank">www.europrotour.com/Images/pickering_currie.jpg" width="200" align="left" border="0" /> Although nervous at the beginning, Karen soon relaxed in the company of her team members ITFC's Simon Milton, Adam Wheatley and International Professional Paul Curry (pictured), and the team's score was a respectable 69 points.

The winning team was Professional Warren Wood's team with 87 points, followed by Colin Mitchell and the ING lease team joint second with South African Gerlou Roux and The Brewers with 84 points, and third place went to John Wade and the Cawton Vale Fruit Juice team with 83 points.

Australian professional Wade also won the Professional's prize with a round of 68, which bodes well for his involvement in the forthcoming three-day Stoke by Nayland Club International Open EuroPro Tour event this Tuesday to Thursday, to which all spectators are welcome.

Local main sponsors include Mercedes-Benz of Colchester, Copella Fruit Juices and Fred Olsen Travel.