The Sussex Professional Championship will be staged for the next five years at West Hove.

Sponsor Les Watts this week pledged a deal covering the 2001 event at the course in September of more than £10,000, increasing by £1,000 for each subsequent year up to and including 2006.

In total the input is more than £100,000 by a dyed-in-the-wool SPGU supporter who thought nothing last week of making a ten-hour flight from the West Indies to Portugal for the annual overseas pro-am.

It was Watts who sponsored last year's Championship at Goodwood for £10,000 and, while the SPGU's list of backers is formidable, there is a pleasing knock-on effect of his latest involvement.

Frank Shannon, captain of the SPGU and president of West Hove, is a firm friend of Watts. They go way back and rarely miss an opportunity of upping the stakes when it comes to getting out their wallets.

Both were in Portugal for the annual shindig and when Shannon heard of Watts' latest sponsorship he said: "I'm not going to do less than Les."

Shannon thereupon announced that his backing of the Sussex Open Championship, to be played at Littlehampton in September, would continue on the same time scale as the professional event the following week.

Watts is dedicating this year's pro championship to the memory of his father Bill who died 11 years ago when Les was playing in Tunisia at the SPGU winter pro-am.

For Watts, the Sussex Championship will record for posterity the name of his father in the form of a Waterford crystal bowl, suitably engraved. The monetary contribution by his son is purely a secondary factor.

He said: "I'm only too happy to help out overall. Sussex golf is a deserving cause and I've spent many, many happy hours in the company of SPGU members."

Cliff Pluck, the SPGU secretary, was grateful for the support.

He said: "Trust the old brigade from West Hove to come up with something out of the blue. But that's typical of the support rendered by our vice-presidents. You won't find a better bunch of supporters anywhere."

To reach Portugal last week for four rounds of golf, plus a great deal of socialising, Watts caught a light plane from his home in the Turks and Caicos Islands, where he builds hotels, to Miami.

The next stage was New York and then Heathrow. Another quick change to Gatwick and straight to Faro and onto the fairways at Quinta do Lago to join the team led by Selsey's Peter Grindley.

No matter that they finished 25 shots behind the winners, Watts was bucked to be among friends again and indulge in a spot of banter with Shannon.

Shannon was vice-captain to Watts at West Hove and they have been SPGU and club stalwarts.

Generous Shannon, like Watts, likes nothing better than pushing the boat out.

At his captain's banquet in Portugal, Shannon picked up the £3,000 tab without batting an eyelid. But that is small change compared to his commitment to Sussex golf over the years.

The Davies and Tate Championship first-round draw will be made at the Uckfield offices of the sponsors on January 31 when all clubs are invited to be represented.