Teenage golfing sensation, Lydia Ko, will be the major attraction at this year’s Riversdale Cup tournament to be played at the Melbourne course later this month.
Lydia, from New Zealand, is just 14 but blitzed an experienced field to win the recent NSW Women’s Open by four strokes.
She will start favourite to win the 54th Women’s Riversdale Cup being played from 22/2 through 24/2.
The General Manager of Riversdale Golf Club, Christian Tanner, said Lydia, who finished second last year to compatriot, Cecilia Cho, would be aiming to win her second title in as many months.
“She is a genuinely exciting player and she has an excellent chance of adding yet another trophy to her collection.”
Fifty-four players will compete in the women’s event, which has attracted players from New Zealand, Switzerland, Singapore, Belgium and Japan.
The Riversdale Cup for men and women is regarded as one of the country’s two major golf tournaments for amateurs.
The 117th men’s Riversdale Cup will be played from 16/2 to 19/2 and will feature 20-year-old Nathan Holman who carded a record-breaking first round of 62 last year before going on to win the event. He is returning this year to defend the title.
Nathan will be joined by more than 100 from Australia, New Zealand, the U.K., Switzerland and Singapore including World Top 100 players: Ben Campbell (NZ), Jake Higginbottom (Aus), Matt Stieger (Aus), Cameron Smith (Aus) and Daniel Nisbet (Aus).
“This is one of the most significant events on the amateur golf calendar and we have succeeded in bringing together some of the best players in the world,” Mr Tanner said.
“In Lydia and Nathan we have two young players who are capable of competing against the best anywhere”.