A HIGH-QUALITY field, headed by world number 11 Mark Royal and world number 15 Les Gillett, has been assembled to contest this weekend’s annual Westlecot Indoor Open Singles Tournament, which again forms part of the national Open Singles Circuit.

The Open Singles will be held at the Old Town Club both today and tomorrow, and carries a top prize of £1,000 for the winner and £500 to the runner-up.

This year’s seventh Westlecot Open is again sponsored by Only Bungalows and Hillier Funeral Service, as well as being supported by local firms such as Royal Wootton Bassett butcher K & EJ Crump.

Several England and Wales internationals will join the likes of two-time winner Royal, with 64 players taking part over two days in this year’s competition.

Westlecot tournament director and the Open Singles Circuit administrator Neil Smith said: “The club are looking forward to hosting this prestigious event once again and would like to thank all of the firms who are supporting the Westlecot Open Tournament as without them it would not be possible to hold such a prestigious event.”

Besides the visiting contestants, a number of local players are also competing in the Westlecot tournament, including Smith, Ian Jefferies, Mike Titcombe, Kyle and John Anderson, Craig Hatherall, Gary Jackson, Craig Morphet and Mike Richards.

All matches played are the best of two sets of seven ends, with a best of three ends tie-breaker if necessary to decide the winner.

Play starts at 8.30am on both Saturday and Sunday, with the final scheduled for 6.45pm on the second day, and admission is free.

Meanwhile, Westlecot will be rushed off their feet in the coming days as they also compete in three national team competitions.

The ladies have been awarded a bye into round three of the Mason Trophy over 60s inter-club double rink competition, where they’ll face Oxford & District or Rivermead on January 20, after Camberley conceded the two teams’ second-round meeting.

However, they will be in action today in round three of the Yetton Plate against Whiteknights but all four rinks will be played on the Berkshire club’s green in Earley to avoid clashing with the Westlecot Open.

Tomorrow, Westlecot’s mixed team face a difficult fourth-round Egham Trophy tie against Somerset’s Clarrie Dunbar, who reached the semi-finals in last season’s competition.

Taunton Deane or Torquay United await the winners in the quarter-finals and the Egham rinks at Westlecot will still take place in Swindon, despite the club’s home competition.

To round-off the busy national programme, Westlecot’s men take on Cotswold in round three of the over 60s inter-club double rinks next Tuesday.

Kevin Embling replacing John Williamson is the only change expected to the team that beat MidGlos in the previous round.