Tough competition expected at Whittlebury Park - 13/03/2007

Click here for full list of" target="_blank" www.pga-tic.com/tic/tmtic.cgi]Click here[/url] for full list of players

Click here for 2007 Order of" target="_blank" www.europrotour.com/OrderOfMerit.asp]Click here[/url] for 2007 Order of Merit

A TOP quality field will be playing in the latest event of the season.

The Whittlebury Park Golf and Country Club, which is near Towcester, will host the 11th tournament of the campaign from Wednesday, August 22 to Friday, August 24.

A total of 14 out of the top 15 on the Order of Merit are competing at the Northamptonshire course, including eight of the nine 2007 winners.

Also among the line-up is Mark Smith (pictured above), who, at sixth in the rankings, is the highest player who has not won an event, although he has come second at The Players Club, Bristol and Maylands, Essex.

There will be up to 168 men at Whittlebury Park with each player completing a round on both Wednesday and Thursday before the top 50 plus ties advance into Friday's final round where the winner will collect £10,000.

This event is the second of the campaign to be staged in Northamptonshire after Guy Woodman clinched the first prize at Collingtree Park at the end of May.

Competition will be fierce as there are only three regular events to be held after this one before the end of season Tour Championships.

Only those players in the top 50 on the Order of Merit will be eligible to compete in that tournament so every pound earned could prove to be crucial.

There is also a further incentive as the top five at the end of the season will receive Challenge Tour cards for 2008.

However, the sixth person could still be celebrating if Colm Moriarty, who is currently second but not playing at Whittlebury Park, finishes in the top five.

He has already secured a 2008 Challenge Tour card after he won an event on their tour following a sponsors' invite to play earlier this year.

Date posted: August 21, 2007.