Aaron Baddeley – scroll to the bottom of the article for downloadable audio clips Australian golfing star Aaron Baddeley has pledged his commitment to the 2007 MFS Australian Open at The Australian Golf Club, Sydney this December in a recent teleconference. The 26-year old first played the event in 1998 and subsequently went on to win consecutive Stonehaven Cups in 1999 and 2000. He returns to his homeland once again, aiming to win his third title which would place him on a pedestal alongside Australian golfing greats including Greg Norman, Peter Thomson and the late Norman Von Nida. In announcing Baddeley&aposs continued loyalty to his national championship, Executive Chairman of the Australian Opens, Golf Australia, Paul McNamee said, “Aaron is a great role model for the tidal wave of young players we have coming through the ranks at the moment. His dedication to the game, his training regime and his formidable fan base is hard to rival. “Aaron is a fantastic talent and is the first of many young players that we will be showcasing at the 2007 MFS Australian Open. We are thrilled to once again have him on board,” stated McNamee. Baddeley said, “The MFS Australian Open is something we always talk about over here on Tour. I love coming back home and it s definitely something that I always look forward to every year. It&aposs where I grew up and it&aposs great coming back to the roots.” Baddeley also stated the importance of being someone to look up to for younger generations and the enjoyment he gets from being an iconic figure for junior golfers. “It&aposs great to be a role model for the kids. It&aposs something that I enjoy and I believe it is a privilege to have a chance to positively affect the way kids grow up and what they value.” Joining Baddeley in Sydney will be recent PGA Tour graduates Jason Day and Nick Flanagan as well as former number one ranked amateur in the world Won Joon Lee. Day is a two-time winner of the Australian Junior Order of Merit but is perhaps more well-known for his Nationwide Tour event victory in July, making him the youngest ever tournament winner on any of the PGA Tour&aposs three tours. Having earned a PGA Tour card for his stellar efforts this season, the 19 year old is one of the nation&aposs brightest hopes. Flanagan won the highly prestigious US Amateur in 2003 and capped his rise to stardom this year with three tournament wins on the Nationwide Tour, automatically earning the 23-year old from Belmont a PGA Tour card. He will make his much-awaited Tour debut in New York this week. Lee, a former Australian representative at the Eisenhower Cup and former world number one amateur produced one of the highlights of his short career by finishing in the Top 50 at the 2007 Open Championship at Carnoustie. With Baddeley standing tall as one of the greatest young role models in world golf, there is every chance they can follow in his successful footsteps. The 2007 MFS Australian Open will be held at the Australian Golf Club, Sydney, from December 13-16, 2007. SPECIAL AUDIO COVERAGE Click here to hear Aaron&aposs perspective on his new putter and routine Aaron is confident that he is headed in the right direction Listen to his thoughts on The Australian Golf Club See how Aaron rates his chances of a third success at the MFS Australian Open
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