Date: June 14, 2007
Author: Alistair Hogg

Aussies Around the World: Weekend Preview

By Alistair Hogg PGA TOUR The PGA Tour descends on Oakmont, Pennsylvania this week for the US Open Championship. Billed as one of the toughest courses in the United States, Oakmont Country Club will prove a stern challenge to the world&aposs best golfers. Faced with thick rough, narrow fairways, sloping greens and varying weather conditions, many competitors have said that a winning score might even be as high as 10-over in the traditionally high scoring tournament. At 6611 metres it is the second-longest US Open course in history behind Winged Foot, the scene of Geoff Ogilvy&aposs triumph in 2006 at 6642 metres. A total of 12 Aussies have made the field either through exemptions of qualification. Adam Scott is arguably the form player going into the tournament with two near misses in as many weeks, but plenty of his countrymen are capable of chasing the title at Oakmont. Ogilvy of course begins as defending champion having pipped Phil Mickelson at the post last year. But Stuart Appleby, Robert Allenby and evergreen Steve Elkington will all be looking to craft strong runs as the tournament gets underway early Friday morning (AEDT). Network Ten will broadcast live in high definition from Oakmont beginning at 3am Friday. Australians entered in the US Open at Oakmont Country Club, Pennsylvania Robert Allenby Stuart Appleby Aaron Baddeley Andrew Buckle Steve Elkington Marcus Fraser Matthew Goggin Nathan Green Nick O&aposHern Geoff Ogilvy Rod Pampling Adam Scott NATIONWIDE TOUR Although all eyes will be on Oakmont this week, a small field of Aussies will line up at the Rochester Area Charities Showdown at Somerby in Minnesota. The event is only four years old and all of the previous winners have gone on to play on the PGA Tour. Nine Aussies will join the field at the Tom Lehman designed course vying for first place and a handy purse which will go a long way to ensuring a finish in the Top-25. Australians entered in the Rochester Area Charities Showdown at Somerby Golf Club, Minnesota Steven Bowditch Greg Chalmers Kim Felton Bradley Hughes Marc Leishman David McKenzie Ben Meyers Richard Swift Andrew Tschudin EUROPEAN TOUR Six Aussies will contest the Open de Saint-Omer in France. The par 71 layout boasts stunning views but undulating fairways and sloped greens will provide players with a good challenge. Peter Fowler and Terry Pilkadaris re-join the Aussie contingent after taking a break while Matthew Zions will continue on from Austria where he watched Richard Green list his first trophy in over a decade. Australians entered in the Open de Saint-Omer at Aa Saint Omer Golf Club, France David Bransdon Peter Fowler Terry Pilkadaris Scott Strange John Wade Matthew Zions ASIAN TOUR No tournament this week. LPGA TOUR No tournament this week. LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR Just three Aussies are in the draw for the Catalonia Ladies Masters beginning on Thursday. Nikki Garrett, Sarah Kemp and Karen Lunn will battle a predominantly European field in Barcelona. Australians entered in the Catalonia Ladies Masters at Club de Masia Beach, Spain Nikki Garrett Sarah Kemp Karen Lunn