Concerns that part-time golfers could lose their amateur status if they enter this July’s Peugeot Challenge Cup are invalid, the event’s organiser has told The Royal Gazette.

Alex Madeiros was responding yesterday to Bermuda Golf Association president Bob Legere’s public warning that by offering entry into a major Pro-Am in Paris, France as a first prize, everybody who enters the Belmont Hills event could end up being classified as a professional under international amateur status rules.

As a result, Legere said, junior players on college golf scholarships would risk losing them while keen golfers could also be prevented from participating in any local amateur event for a year or more.

But Madeiros moved to put the record straight yesterday after clarifying the situation with the promoters of the Paris Pro-Am — which is scheduled to take place between August 20-25.

“Under the rules of amateur status, a player is allowed to enter any competition where the prize on offer is being paid for by a recognised national governing body,” he explained.

“Aside from the many other prizes that are going to be available, the winners of both the men’s and women’s event will receive direct entry into the Pro-Am, which is to be paid for by the French Golf Federation.

“This event is sanctioned by the R&A (the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, the rules and development body for the sport outside the US and Mexico) and has been going on since 1985 in many other countries.

“This is the first time it has been held in Bermuda and I can assure those interested in entering that it does not violate the amateur status rules and you will not be in danger of losing your amateur status if you play in it.

“Bob’s statement did come out of left field a little bit because I hadn’t even considered that it would be a problem. But having spoken to the promoters, I’m very confident the event conforms to amateur status rules.

“It’s a very exciting event. It’s what Bermuda golf needs. Now amateurs will have the opportunity to play in an event where there is something more meaningful on offer. We’d be happy with anywhere from between 50 and 100 entries.”

Madeiros, however, admitted he had been mistaken when he told this newspaper on Tuesday that the winners of the tournament did not gain direct entry into the Pro-Am but instead would be entered into a draw along with hundreds of other names to see who would claim the two berths on offer.

“I was wrong on that. The promoters in France have told me that the winners do get into the Pro-Am, so that should be even more of an incentive to do well,” he said.

Meanwhile, when contacted yesterday Legere said the entry form and the advertising for the tournament are “misleading” in that they “imply” Peugeot will be picking up the tab for the Pro-Am — a strict no-no under the rules.

But he nevertheless conceded that with the French Golf Federation paying for the trip there was no danger of amateur players losing their status — adding he had requested confirmation in writing from them that this is in fact the case.

“Under the rules the BGA still needs to approve the tournament and we will only do that once we have something formal in writing,” he said.

“All the information on the entry form and elsewhere certainly implies that the sponsors Peugeot would be paying for it. The French Golf Federation is not mentioned anywhere.

“If what Alex is telling me is correct then the event does not violate the rules, but the BGA must have official confirmation of this before we sign off on it.”