NEXT week's Spirotech Manchester Open at Marriott Worsley Park has been cancelled after falling victim of the weather.

It's the first time a PGA North Region Order of Merit tournament has been called off since 1999 but the prolonged spells of rain in the summer which have continued into the autumn have caused havoc at courses throughout the country.

"Bunkers were flooded and the greens staff were unable to cut the grass and with another wet weekend forecast the prospects of any play were looking bleak," said regional secretary Graham Maly.

"We had 35 teams booked in for the pro-am on Monday with several of them coming down from Scotland so we could not delay our decision any longer."

But the 36-hole tournament run in association with the Manchester Evening News and scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, will definitely go ahead next year. 

"Spirotech and Marriott are very much behind us but the club did not want to showcase their second biggest event of the year after the Oceanico PGA Challenge Tour fixture with the course not at its best.

"We are looking at June or July and the sponsorship has already been confirmed which is great news," added Maly.

"There was no point in rushing it through next week because it would not have done anyone any good."

Worsley Park golf director Adam Moule said: "We did not want people going away from here with the wrong impression. We've had a huge amount of rain this week which made the course unplayable for an event of this stature.

"This is a prestigious tournament and we are very keen to include it in next year's calendar. We hope to announce the date soon."

The only winners are the Order of Merit leaders who have now qualified for the Srixon PGA Play-offs at Royal Liverpool on October 21-22.

Selby's former European Tour player Nick Ludwell will receive the Mike Slater Trophy after accruing 600 points to top the table. Automatic Retailing PGA North Region champion Alex Belt, from Bridlington Links, is in second spot 71 off the pace, and North Wales Golf Range's Andrew Barnett third some 129 adrift. But the cancellation is tough luck for the 10 players who were still in the running, including fourth placed David Shacklady, from Mossock Hall, who won the merit last year.

FINAL STANDINGS: 600pts Nick Ludwell (Selby); 529 Alex Belt (Bridlington Links); 471 Andrew Barnett (North Wales GR); 465 David Shacklady (Mossock Hall); 441 Jonathan Lupton (Middlesbrough); 407 Vincent Guest (Tees-side); 394 Jonathan Graham (Silloth); 385 David Clark (Morpeth); 376 John Harrison (Matfen Hall); 326 George Cowan (Westerhope).