A field of 90 men and 29 women with contest the 2012 Golf SA Amateur Classic and Rene Erichsen Salver at Glenelg Golf Club. South Australia s premier amateur championships, which are played concurrently from Thursday 12 April to Sunday 15 April and which have national ranking event status, have again attracted a stellar field of local and interstate talent. In the Golf SA Amateur Classic, local hopes will rest with 2010 Champion Brad Moules (Royal Adelaide). Moules who finished in a tie for seventh last year, has been in good form with a strong effort in the recent SA Amateur Championships. SA Medallist Chris Brown will be another contender along with State Captain Tom Bond, who finished 12th in last year s event. All eyes will be on former Australian Cricketer Greg Blewett who has recently been named in the South Australian Men’sState Team. Blewett missed the cut by three strokes in 2011 with rounds of 74 & 79 but this time around is far more prepared to tackle the challenging Glenelg layout. Any local victory will be hard fought however, with Australia s number one ranked player Daniel Nisbet (QLD) returning to South Australia for the first time since his emphatic 2009 victory, when he finished 13 under, three strokes ahead of US Masters participant Bryden Macpherson. Nisbet ranked 51 in the world has already tasted National Ranking success this year claiming the NSW Lake Macquarie Amateur in January. NSW representative Brett Drewitt, ranked number five nationally will be Nisbet s main challenger. Drewitt holds the Glenelg course record after shooting a seven under par 64 in round two last year before claiming the Championship by four strokes ahead of fellow New South Welshman Daniel Bringolf. Also likely to feature are Victoria pair Rory Bourke and Nathan Holman ranked nationally, seventh and ninth respectively. The men’s field features 13 of the top 20 Australian ranked players. Of the 90 men’s entrants, 59 players currently hold handicaps of scratch or better with Daniel Nisbet the lowest marker on an impressive +4.6. A total of 43 local South Australian players will do battle against 47 interstate visitors made up of 23 players from New South Wales, 10 from Victoria, 9 from Queensland, 3 from Western Australia and 2 from Tasmania. First played in 1985, the Classic has an impressive list of former winners including Brett Ogle (NSW, 1995), Peter O Malley (NSW, 1996), Stuart Appleby (Vic, 1992), Greg Chalmers (WA, 1994) and Brett Rumford (WA, 1996). The 2012 Rene Erichsen Salver also boasts a quality lineup. South Australian players account for one-third of this year s field, with lowest local marker and defending Champion Ebony Heard returning to competition golf after a recent layoff. State Women’s Team Captain Megan Bleeze and SA Amateur leading qualifier, Caitlin Roberts, are the other locals expected to deliver a strong showing. The interstate challenge for the Rene Erichsen Salver will be led by Australian number one ranked player Breanna Elliott from Yarrawonga & Border Golf Club in Victoria. Elliott s 2012 wins include the WA Women&aposs 72-hole Stroke Play and the WA Amateur. She was also runner up to New Zealander and World Number one Lydia Ko in the 2012 Australian Women’s Amateur Championship. Whitney Hillier from NSW is in hot form, already claiming the Riversdale Cup and Lake Macquarie Amateur in 2012. Ranked three nationally and 27 in the world, Hillier has the game to challenge in big tournaments. Twice Rene Erichsen Runner Up, Ashley Ona from Queensland, along with representative players Ashlee Dewhurst (Tasmania) and Adriana Brent (NSW) will be right in the mix. The Golf SA Amateur Classic and Rene Erichsen Salver will be played at Glenelg Golf Club from Thursday 12 April to Sunday 15 April. For all tournament details, click on the following links to visit the Championship event pages. Golf SA Amateur Classic Rene Erichsen Salver
Author: