Europro Tour to hit Faithlegg

By Brian Keogh

Ryder Cup stars of the future could be in action when the PGA EuroPro Tour hits Waterford wonderland Faithlegg in May.

That's the view of the EuroPro Tour's Danny Nickless, who has pulled out all the stops to bring the €60,000 event to the banks of the Suir from 16-18 May.

All 14 invites from sponsors the Tower Hotel Group will go to Irish players with around 30 home pros set to battle for the €14,500 top prize.

And Nickless is convinced that the third tier tour will eventually produce a Ryder Cup player after 35 current European Tour card holders cut their teeth on the growing EuroPro circuit.

He said: "Anton Haig, who won the Johnnie Walker Classic last week, said he would have had nowhere to play in 2005 if it wasn't for the PGA EuroPro Tour.

"In the next few years we will have Ryder Cup players who came through our tour. Guys just slip through the net because they don't have anywhere to play and the PGA EuroPro Tour is a great way to get experience and TV exposure."

This year, the young stars on the PGA EuroPro tour will play for a total prize fund in excess of €1.4 million.