The European Seniors' Tour starts in Turkey this week, but Christy O'Connor Junior won't be there. Instead, the senior rookie has decided to avail of an invitation to compete in the Nationwide Championship in Georgia on the US Seniors' Tour as part of his quest to secure a card on that lucrative tour.

O'Connor Jnr is currently in 59th position - from just two outings - on the US Seniors Tour order of merit with prizemoney of $63,110, and will play in this week's event at the Golf Club of Georgia in Alparetta before returning home for next week's AIB Irish Seniors Open at Mount Juliet.

However, the former Ryder Cup player is actively pursuing further invites in the United States and is likely to return over the summer for more tournament activity.

While O'Connor is away, his peers tee off for the first time in Europe in the Beko Classic at Klassis Golf Club with €250,000 in prizemoney. There are 11 Irish players in the field: Eddie Polland, David Jones, Denis O'Sullivan, Paul Leonard, Joe McDermott, Kenny Stevenson, Arnold O'Connor, Gordon Parkhill, Michael Murphy, Arthur Spring, Hugh Jackson and Tommy Moran.

Meanwhile, there will be a Gallic influence in the Irish qualifying round of the Maxfli PGA Assistants Championship at Delgany on Thursday when 25-year-old Frenchman Emanuel Riblet, an assistant at Headfort, will compete.

"Ultimately, I want to teach either in France or the United States," said Riblet, who decided on pursuing a career as an Irish Region trained PGA professional because of "the doors that it opens on the continent".

Among the favourites for the qualifier at Delgany on Thursday is Finian Dwyer of the Celbridge Driving Range, winner of the Galway Pro-Am and the AMEV Assistants championship last year, who intends to try for his European Tour card at the end of the season.