One of Australia’s most fabled tournament courses will be the primary host of the 2018 Australian Amateur Championship presented by Swinging Skirts.
Spectacular Lake Karrinyup Country Club, in Perth’s northern suburbs, will throw open its gates to 312 of the world’s finest players for the second time as a host of both men’s and women’s events simultaneously.
But in a storied history also featuring four men’s Australian Open championships, Lake Karrinyup has hosted many national events, including six other men’s and three additional women’s Australian Amateurs.
The tournament’s stroke play phase will be co-hosted by nearby Wanneroo Golf Club, a club making its first foray into a national level event.
Golf Australia’s championships director Trevor Herden said he was delighted the West Australian venues were already so engaged for the event that runs from 16-21 January.
With the increased international exposure the tournament has garnered in recent years, Herden said he was confident of again welcoming entrants from as far afield as New Zealand, England, Scotland, Korea, Japan, Wales, Taiwan, Malaysia and the United States.
“We’ve really been happy with the ongoing rise in interest from overseas in the recent past and the honour rolls tell you that the tournaments have had quality winners from around the globe,” he said.
“We look forward to working with both clubs and, as always when we bring national tournaments to Western Australia, we’re certain there’ll be a surge in interest from those wanting to play at such outstanding venues.”
The stroke play rounds on Tuesday and Wednesday will feature 234 men and 78 women over 18 holes at each club, with the leading 64 men and 32 women advancing to the elimination match play at Lake Karrinyup.
Both men’s and women’s championships date back to 1894 and both winners receive an exemption into their respective Australian Opens.
Entries open in mid-October.
Tournament schedule:
• Sunday 14 January: practice round – both courses
• Monday 15 January: practice round – both courses
• Tuesday 16 January: Round 1 qualifying – both courses
• Wednesday 17 January: Round 2 qualifying – both courses
• Thursday 18 January: men’s match play Rd 1 (32 matches); women’s match play Rd 1 (16 matches) – Lake Karrinyup CC
• Friday 19 January: AM: men’s match play Rd 2 (16 matches); PM: men’s match play Rd 3 and women’s Rd 2 (8 matches each) – Lake Karrinyup CC
• Saturday 20 January: AM: men‘s & women’s quarter-finals (4 matches each); PM: men’s & women’s semi-finals (2 matches each) – Lake Karrinyup CC
• Sunday 21 January: men’s & women’s final (each 36 holes) – Lake Karrinyup CC