A HIGH-quality field headed by Taunton’s world number four Robert Paxton has been assembled to contest this weekend’s annual Westlecot Indoor Open Singles Tournament. The Open Singles, which again forms part of the national Open Singles Circuit, will be held at the Old Town club tomorrow and Sunday, and carries a top prize of £1,000 for the winner and £500 to the runner-up as part of a prize pot of over £2,400.

The Westlecot Open, which is in it’s sixth year, has proved to be an extremely popular event in the past and two years ago, drew a record field of 96 players over three days but will be back to a two-day 64-player event this year.

The tournament this year has attracted Paxton and world number 13 Mark Royal, from Mid-Suffolk, plus a host of Open Singles Circuit regulars and tournament-winners, as well as several regular England internationals.

Also included in the field are two past Westlecot Open winners in Royal and 2012-winner Brian Lees from Welford-on-Avon.

“It is a very good field again for our annual Open Singles Tournament,” said Westlecot indoor chairman Jeff Nichols and, endorsed by local player Neil Smith, the Westlecot Tournament director and the Open Singles Circuit administrator.

“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 Neil Smith, Ian Jefferies, Dave Snell, Mel Biggs, Mike Titcombe, Kyle and John Anderson, Steve Remington, Dave Godwin, Craig Hatherall, Gary Jackson and Denis Holborow.

Meanwhile, Five Rivers, Salisbury, and Wiltshire county player Tom Warner has drawn the short straw and faces Paxton tomorrow lunchtime.

The 64 players taking part are divided into two groups - A and B - with games in each played down to a last four.

The eight remaining players on Sunday then go into an open draw for the quarter and semi-finals.

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

Play starts at 8.30am both tomorrow and Sunday, with the final scheduled for 6.15pm on Sunday.

Full details of the Westlecot Open Singles draw can be viewed on opensinglescircuit.com.

Spectators are welcome and admission is free on both days, with catering facilities available.