Former Hampshire amateur champion Chris Hudson will be among 60 of the PGA South Region's top young golfers battling it out at North Downs today in the Powerade PGA Assistants Championship regional qualifier.

Hudson, in his second year as a trainee at the Southwood club, has ambitions to play on the European Tour. Now 27, he has built up competitive experience playing mini-tours in Florida and the odd buy.com event.

The first ten finishers from today's 36-hole challenge will join 80 other qualifiers seeking an overall victory which carries an invitation to play in the USPGA Assistants' Championship in Florida in November and the Australian Futures Championship at Newcastle, New South Wales.