Home guard

The humble club professional will get a rare enough opportunity to take on some of Ireland's regular European PGA Tour professionals when the Bank of Ireland Mastercard Southern PGA Championship - one of the top events on the domestic circuit - takes place at Seapoint Golf Club in Termonfeckin, Co Louth, tomorrow.

Des Smyth, who designed the course, Eamonn Darcy and Christy O'Connor Jnr will avail of the break in the European Tour this week (there is no tournament due to the clash with the season's last major, the USPGA in Seattle) to take on the home guard.

Last year, Philip Walton and Padraig Harrington shared the title when it was staged at Portmarnock Links and, indeed, the regular competition which the touring professionals enjoy should give them an edge. Smyth, as the course designer, will probably start as joint-favourite for the title with Darcy. However, the Irish Region circuit has expanded in recent years and this increased competition means the likes of Wexford-attached club professional Damien McGrane, big-hitting Foxrock assistant Leslie Walker, the Ward's John Kelly, who has European Challenge Tour experience, and John Dignam of Slade Valley will be among those keen to show they possess the ability to take on the Tour players.