JAMIE Abbott of Fynn Valley, a member of the England A squad, hopes to regain the Suffolk Open title which he won in 2005. He faces 24 Suffolk professionals at Stowmarket this weekend, including the holder, Simon Dainty of Fynn Valley, who won the Faraday Cup at Gorleston last year.

By Tony Garnett

JAMIE Abbott of Fynn Valley, a member of the England A squad, hopes to regain the Suffolk Open title which he won in 2005.

He faces 24 Suffolk professionals at Stowmarket this weekend, including the holder, Simon Dainty of Fynn Valley, who won the Faraday Cup at Gorleston last year.

There will be a cut after the first 18 holes to leave a field of the top 40 and ties, and any player within six shots of the leader, for the final 36 holes on Sunday.

Play starts at 8am when Paul Buckle of Stowmarket, Open champion in 1981, tees off.

Home course advantage could prove useful to professionals Jon Markham and Duncan Burl.

Former winners in the field are Alex Lucas, now of Waldringfield, who was successful in 2002 and 2004, Paul Wilby who won in 1997 and Martin Elsworthy who won in 1989.

Suffolk PGA will look to players like Simon Harrison, runner-up in last year's PGA East Region Order of Merit, and Andrew Robinson, who lost in a play-off last year, to hold the amateur challenge in check.

Andrew Cotton, attached to Ufford Park, is playing well at present, while Andrew Tokley and Kevin Earp both have considerable past experience on the PGA Europro Tour.

Henry Roblin of Hintlesham, who played in the Open as an amateur, may be short of competitive practice but cannot be ruled out.

Rob Pritchard of Stonham Barns, Kelvin Vince of Rushmere, Danny Barton of Fynn Valley, Roly Hitchcock, the newly-appointed head professional at Stoke by Nayland, and Tim Johnson of Woodbridge should all feature well up the leader board.

Top Suffolk juniors will be keen to make an impact. Rhodri Harston, Owen Pearl, Jack Jowers, Chris Gooding, Patrick Spraggs and Sam Forgan will be anxious to make the cut.

The rivalry in the Dobson household between Tony, the professional at Stonham Barns, and sons Paul and Hugo, who played in the winning Fynn Valley Hambro team, is sure to be keen.