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It’s your chance to make the golf world stand up and take notice.
Entries are now open for the 2016 Australian Men’s and Women’s Amateur Championships presented by Swinging Skirts.
Each year the tournament attracts increasing global attention, with the standard having risen to the point that entries arrive from all corners of the world.
This year featured players from 14 countries and with the event’s burgeoning international status, combined with the doors it opens, it will be little surprise to see that number matched or bettered next year.
Arguably the biggest prize is direct entry into the Australian Open for the respective men’s and women’s champion.
And the world ranking points garnered by those who go deep into the matchplay phase will almost certainly open the possibility of more entries to amateur tournaments around the world.
The championships, which date back to 1894, will be played at Metropolitan Golf Club and Peninsula-Kingswood Country Golf Club (Kingwood Course) in Melbourne from January 12-17.
The field will comprise 234 men and 78 women who will contest 36 holes of strokeplay qualifying, with the leading 64 men and 32 women to qualify for elimination matchplay.
Metropolitan will be the primary course hosting both the qualifying and matchplay rounds, while Peninsula-Kingswood’s Kingswood Course will co-host the qualifying rounds.
Metropolitan last hosted the Australian Men’s Amateur in 2001 when Andrew Buckle, of Queensland, won.
Other notable past champions include Cameron Smith (2013), Brendan Jones (1999), Brett Rumford (1998), Greg Chalmers (1993), Mathew Goggin (1995) and Bruce Devlin (1959).
The Australian Women’s Amateur was last played at Metropolitan Golf Club in 2001, also, with Helen Beatty, of Western Australia, victorious.
Other notable past champions include Minjee Lee (2013 & 2014), Lydia Ko (2012), Stacey Keating (2010), Kristie Smith (2008) and Nikki Campbell (2002).
Various accommodation options are now available and entries close in mid-December.
Visit the event page http://www.golf.org.au/australian-amateur for more information or to enter.