A record field of 98 men and 30 women with contest the 2011 Golf SA Amateur Classic and Rene Erichsen Salver at Glenelg Golf Club. South Australia s premier amateur championships, which are played concurrently from Thursday 28 April to Sunday 1 May 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 defending champion Brad Moules (Royal Adelaide), who earlier this month added to his 2010 Classic title with victory in the SA Amateur Championship. Moules 2011 SA Amateur final opponent and two times former amateur champion Chris Austin (Tea Tree Gully) has also shown strong recent form and again much interest will centre on the performance of 2010 Australian Junior Amateur champion Anthony Murdaca (The Grange). Any local victory will be hard fought however, with Australia s number two ranked player Matt Stieger (NSW) looking to add to his impressive win at last month s Australian Amateur Championship. Steiger s NSW teammate Brett Drewitt, ranked number six nationally and the 2010 Queensland Amateur Champion, is also likely to feature as is Western Australian Ryan Peake and Tasmanian Kalem Richardson. The men’s field features 9 of the top 20 Australian-resident ranked amateurs and 15 of the top 20 Australian ranked players. Of the 98 men’s entrants, 57 players currently hold handicaps of scratch or better with Victorian Nathan Homan the lowest marker on an impressive +3.5. A total of 53 local South Australian players will do battle against 45 interstate visitors made up of 31 players from New South Wales, 9 from Victoria, 3 from Western Australia and 2 from Tasmania. Queensland is not represented in this year s event, which unavoidably clashes with the Queensland Stroke Play and Amateur Championship being played on the Sunshine and Gold Coasts next week. 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 2011 Rene Erichsen Salver will also host its largest ever field at Glenelg Golf Club. South Australian players account for almost two-thirds of this years field, with experienced state representatives Ebony Heard, Emma Ash and 2011 Golf SA Women’s Amateur Champion Sarah King again expected to make strong claims for the title. There will also be considerable interest in the performance of the local junior players, with the South Australian girl s squad enjoying a solid preparation courtesy of this week s national interstate series in Newcastle. The interstate challenge for the Rene Erichsen Salver will be lead by 2011 Australian Women’s Amateur Champion Ashlee Dewhurst and Western Australia s rising junior star Whitney Harvey. The Golf SA Amateur Classic and Rene Erichsen Salver will be played at glenelg Golf Club from Thursday 28 April to Sunday 1 May. For all tournament details, click on the following links to visit the championship event pages on the Golf SA website. Golf SA Amateur Classic (Men) Rene Erichsen Salver (Women)
Author: