Corrigan the one to beat in Algarve opener

Jan 29 2008 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

IF past results are anything to go by, PGA North Region professionals will be playing for second place next week in their overseas pro-am on the Portuguese Algarve.

Five times in the last six years the name lodged on the top of the leaderboard has been Craig Corrigan.

Last winter, the 38-year-old Haigh Hall teaching professional not only stormed to the individual prize but guided his team to a 10-shot victory.

Much of that was down to a stunning third round eight-under-par 64 at Villa Sol which distanced him from the chasing pack, which included the region’s acclaimed pro-am king David Shacklady.

The Mossock Hall maestro is not in the 27-field battling for honours over four rounds at Villa Sol, Quinta do Lago and Victoria on January 31-February 3.

But there’s plenty of others who will be out to beat Corrigan, including former PGA National Assistants champion Matthew Tottey, from North Wales, Penrith Driving Range’s Andrew Pickering and veteran Derrick Cooper, a former European Tour player from Warrington.

SEVERAL Isle of Man businesses have pledged support for the Manx Golf Classic, one of the country’s biggest pro-ams.

Since its inception in 1981, the three-day event at Castletown Links has boasted several title sponsors. But now the 116-year-old club has taken over the marketing to raise its profile to an even higher level.

Host club professional Michael Brooks, who with member John Tinsley is spearheading the funding campaign, said: “We feel it makes more sense that the event is locally driven. We also believe it should help to publicise the island as well as provide maximum exposure for the sponsors and at the same time offer the players a better deal.”

So far six companies have signed up to back the 54-hole pro-am on June 18-21 but with a couple more in the pipeline the prize fund is expected to be at least £20,000.

And golfers who have competed in previous years will find Castletown a whole new experience.

Brooks explained: “It’s always been a great course but lots of work has been done on it since last summer and several new bunkers have been created. There will also be lots of special prizes, and we’ll even be on Sky television.”