PAUL Curry has opted to play in tomorrow's PGA Europro Tour event at Stoke by Nayland rather than the East Anglian Open at Blakes Golf Club near Epping which starts at the same time.

Tony Garnett

PAUL Curry has opted to play in tomorrow's PGA Europro Tour event at Stoke by Nayland rather than the East Anglian Open at Blakes Golf Club near Epping which starts at the same time.

Both pro-ams, staged in conjunction with the main tournament, will be played today.

Curry has twice been a Europro winner at Stoke by Nayland and won the East Anglian Open, a PGA East Region order of merit event, in 1998. He has chosen to play at Stoke by Nayland because it involves less travel from his East Bergholt home.

Curry faces some interesting opposition. Jamie Moul, the world's top-ranked amateur just over a year ago, will be playing on his home course as he tries to make a breakthrough in the professional game. Leading amateur Dale Whitnell from Five Lakes tests the water in professional company.

Lloyd Kennedy (Chelmsford), Ben Montgomery (Frinton) and Craig Housden (Channels) are the main Essex challengers.

The members of the Sports Academy, based at Stoke by Nayland, will take part. They are Liam Brace, Sonny Madden and Matt Efford.

Today's pro-am at Stoke by Nayland sees Ipswich Town footballers Alan Lee, given a handicap of nine at Ipswich Golf Club, and defender David Wright in action together with Tottenham and England goalkeeper Paul Robinson and former Arsenal star Lee Dixon.

Other well known names in the pro-am include snooker legend Steve Davis, athlete John Regis and BBC Look East presenter Stewart White.

Danny Poulter, elder brother of Ian, defends his East Anglian Open title. There is a strong representation from Suffolk including Andrew Collison from Bungay, Simon Dainty from Fynn Valley and Andrew Tokley from Stoke by Nayland.