ROB Brown and Ashley Siddle are the two hot favourites to take the Bury and District Golf Association men's title at Breightmet Golf Club next Wednesday.

The preliminaries get under way at the Bolton course on Sunday when 45 hopefuls set out in pursuit of the coveted crown.

Reigning Vardon Trophy holder Simon Wrigley from the Harwood club will be doing his utmost to hang on to his title, but it's Brown and Siddle, who are reckoned to have the best chance of wresting it from his grasp.

Brown is strongly fancied for a variety of reasons, as BDGA secretary Jack Hindle explained.

"Rob plays off scratch. He will be on his home course and he recently reached the semi-finals of the Bolton Golf Association competition at Chorley in bad conditions," said Jack.

"He is playing well consistently at the moment and is hitting 69 to 71 around Breightmet," he added.

Siddle is another scratch golfer. He is a member at Rossendale Golf Club and plays regularly in the Lancashire county A team.

Golfers from the Bury borough are among the outsiders, but there is a strong challenge from one family, based at the Lowes Park course.

The Thornton clan will be hoping to make it hot for Brown, Siddle and Wrigley as they spring into action on three fronts.

Mark Thornton leads the family challenge. "He's always there or thereabouts," said Jack. Mark will be backed up by brothers Matt, who plays off two and the youngster of the trio, Daniel, who plays off six.

Another one to watch will be Bury's Tim Pennington, but he is a bit of an unknown quantity, as Jack says: "I am not quite sure what his form is like at the moment."