The long-term Royal Lytham and St Annes professional, who played in the Russian Open last weekend, starts among the favourites to win the James Brearley Lancashire Open at centenary club Blackpool North Shore, running for two days.
Eales clinched the De Vere Hotels PGA North Region Championship a few miles down the road at Heron's Reach three weeks ago, after a play-off with Wrexham's Simon Edwards.
And another victory on home turf will further boost his confidence, as he tries to retrieve his full Tour card in the final run-in to the season.
Eales, who has already entered the M.E.N. Manchester Open, organised in association with motor group Smith Knight Fay at Mottram Hall at the end of next month, is one of several top players in the £10,500 tournament which has attracted a record 135 competitors.
David Shacklady begins his defence of his title which, despite his success rate in pro-ams over 15 years, is his only one.
And he only achieved it after a play-off with Chorley's Mark Bradley, the county matchplay champion, who could well be one of his main challengers this time in a field which includes 48 amateurs.
Recent past winners include Haigh Hall's Craig Corrigan and Peter Allen, from Ashton--in- Makerfield.
Houghwood assistant Barry Taylor, a regular winner in the region this season, boosted his hopes when he won the Northern Golf Players' Tour at Marriott Worsley Park with a five-under-par 66, containing eight birdies.
Another name expected to be in the frame is Hillside's Phil Kenyon, who finished third at Heron's Reach on his PGA North Region debut.
Among the leading amateurs are England Elite squad member Richard Walker, of Frodsham, and Mitsushiba Northern Order of Merit leader Michael Hunt.
The Pleasington man has been in impressive form recently, and reached the final of the British Mid-Amateur Championship at Royal Liverpool last weekend - only to lose to Somerset's Daniel Perrey two and one.
Hunt knocked out title holder John Kemp, from John O'Gaunt, three and two in the quarter- finals before despatching Stockport's David Peel, the Cheshire county champion, two and one.
Comments
Login or Register to comment
There are no comments about this at the moment.