WITH many of Europe's top stars engaged in this week's US Open, the minnows of the PGA European Tour will be hoping to make a big killing at Slaley Hall.

A new fixture on the tour, the Slaley Hall Northumberland Challenge, which began this morning, offers prize money of £300,000.

After competing fiercely throughout all four rounds of the PGA Championship at Wentworth two weeks ago, Ged Furey believes he can mount a serious challenge for the big cheques.

Ryder Cup player Howard Clark is the betting favourite but most observers believe the tournament is wide open.

Furey has practiced well all week and is determined to make this his most successful foray onto the tour.

"It's my fourth European Tour event and against this field I feel I can do well," said Furey who qualified to play through his third-place standing in the Northern Order of Merit.

"The fact that the big stars like Colin Montgomerie, Ian Woosnam, Sam Torrance and David Gilford are all away in the United States for the US Open is a big incentive.

"Also, this is a new course so it's unfamiliar to anyone here.

"We'll all start off from a level playing ground.

"I'm happy about my game.

"The greens slope a great deal - there are massive undulations.

"And the course is playing very long - it's tough. The rough is vicious.

"But I feel I'm up to the challenge."

Furey teed off today with Phillip Parkin of Wales and Juan Carlos Pinero, the son of Spanish former Ryder Cup star Manuel.

The final two rounds will be televised live on Sky Sports 2, 3.30pm to 5.30pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.