Reigning champion Steve Cipa will be defending his crown when the London Open Golf Championship returns to the West Essex Golf Club for the third year running next week.

The competition takes place next Wednesday and Thursday (13th and 14th June), with a Pro-Am tournament also taking place a day later.

Reigning champion Cipa will be returning to defend his crown, but will face competition from the likes of Chingford’s Simon Khan as well as Raymond Russell, who have both played on the European Tour.

Entry is free for all members of the public wishing to spectate and West Essex’s James Levick told the Guardian Series how important it is for the golf club to stage the Championship.

He said: “We feel it’s important to support the PGA. We are investing in the golf course, practice facilities and clubhouse so it’s great for us to get the exposure. We want people to come up and see what our club has to offer. It will be a great competition to watch and everybody is welcome to have a good day out.

“We’ll have players like Simon Khan who won the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth eight years ago. He’s coming back for the third year in a row. Former European tour players Raymond Russell, Mark Davis, Robbie Coles and reigning champion Steve Cipa will also be playing.”

He added: “It’s a three day event. We have a two day East Region Order of Merit tournament. And the third day is the Pro-Am.

"For the Wednesday and Thursday, there is a professional and an amateur tournament. The standard format is just professionals, so they normally play 36 holes of golf over two days.

“We changed that format so that the professionals also play with an amateur. The professionals still have their 36 hole individual event and then there is another competition played alongside which is a professional and an amateur team tournament.”

The highest prize money of any order of merit tournament in the eastern region will be on offer to the winner of the competition and Levick added how the club are delighted to be hosting players of the calibre of Khan, Russell, as well as Cipa.

He said: “It’s great to have them back. It’s always an honour when you have players who have won European Tour events and played at that level.”

“Simon Khan is from Chingford and he grew up playing at Chingford Golf Club down the road. We really appreciate that he comes back and supports a local club.”

For spectators wishing to attend, West Essex Golf Club’s address is: West Essex Golf Club, Bury Road, Chingford, E4 7QL.