PGA Press Release

GLENMUIR HOPEFULS

TO TREAD IN

FOOTSTEPS OF RYDER

CUP PIONEERS

AT MOORTOWN

The shadow of history will hang over Britain's top PGA professionals as they seek success in this year's Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship.

Famous Leeds club Moortown is playing host to the PGA's flagship event - 79 years after their predecessors fought out the first Ryder Cup on British soil.

And following recent modifications the Alister MacKenzie-designed course is set to pose as stiff a test as that faced by George Duncan and Walter Hagen when they captained their respective sides back in 1929.

Treading in the illustrious footsteps of Cotton, Mitchell, Alliss and Sarazen will be modern day club pros like defending champion John Dwyer (Ashbourne) and PGA Cup stalwart Paul Wesselingh (Kedleston Park).

The tournament, which carries a £10,000 first prize plus valuable PGA Cup points, is scheduled from July 29 to August 1 - a switch from its traditional mid-June slot. The Glenmuir Women's PGA Professional Championship takes place simultaneously over 36 holes from July 31 - August 1.

Moortown head pro Martin Heggie, an Advanced PGA Professional, will be among those in the 156 strong field and believes the course will rise to the challenge and issue the kind of test that Nick Faldo once negotiated to win the Car Care Plan International in 1983 at just four under par for the tournament.

"The challenge that lies ahead is a classic heathland course requiring accuracy off the tee," said Heggie."I think the course will be set up to reward the accurate drivers. A lot depends on the weather because it can be quite fast running and actually play like a links if we have a dry summer.

"The greens are typical Alister MacKenzie with lots of borrows on them which makes it a big test."

Heggie also revealed the course had benefited from a few improvements including a new look to the par-3 17th.

"We've had a new 17th hole constructed which is more in keeping with the MacKenzie design," he said.

"About 20 years ago they had a change to the lay-out and everyone felt the 17 didn't quite fit so it has been re-done. It looks really good. The fairway bunker on the 15th has also been altered to catch out a few of the long hitters."

This year marks a new era for the championship with a title change reflecting the wide variety of roles enjoyed by PGA professionals in the golf industry.

"The name change reflects the fact that many of our members are now engaged in an increasing number of roles across the golf industry and not just solely in club professional posts," said PGA chief executive Sandy Jones.

"There has been a move among the majority of PGAs in the world including America, Australia and Canada, to reclassify their members as PGA Professionals and this is in keeping with this."

Andy Bough, Glenmuir's marketing director, added:

"We are delighted that Moortown will be the challenge for the Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship. The course is wonderful and the club has a great history. It is exactly the type of top quality venue that we want for the Championship.

"The later date will also allow the regional qualifiers to be played in better weather on courses that will be in better condition, and we are sure this will encourage the highest ever number of entries."

Regional Qualifiers for the Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship will be held as follows:

Hadley Wood Golf Club on Monday 21 April.

Burnham & Berrow Golf Club on Monday 28 April.

Little Aston Golf Club on Wednesday 30 April.

County Louth Golf Club on Wednesday 7 May.

Moortown Golf Club on Monday 19 May.

Hindhead Golf Club on Thursday 22 May.

Blairgowrie Golf Club on Monday 2 June.

West Lancashire Golf Club on Monday 9 June.