Date: September 11, 2013
Author: Tom Fee / Golf WA

Rising stars head to Mandurah Amateur Open

Australia&aposs most talented amateur golfers will be out in full force at the Mandurah Country Club this weekend, as they compete in the 2013 Steel Scene Mandurah Amateur Open from September 14th to the 16th. World Number 4 Brady Watt of Royal Perth Golf Club headlines a field of 94 that includes eight of Australia&aposs top 20 amateurs, 32 interstate players, one international player and 46 golfers that hold a scratch or better handicap. Watt is back in Australia after a successful tour of America, where he finished as Semi-Finalist at the US Amateur and was awarded co-medallist honours after qualifying T1 during the opening two rounds of strokeplay. While Daniel Hoeve and Michael Dennis round WA&aposs top representatives, Watt will face a strong test from Queensland&aposs Aaron Wilkin, Victoria&aposs Todd Sinnot and Tom Power-Horan as well as National Squad Members Ricky Kato and Ryan Ruffels. 15-year-old Ruffels has been turning heads of late, winning the Leading Amateur medal at the Isuzu Queensland Open last month as well as being the youngest player in Victoria&aposs history to represent his state in senior competition. A seventh at the Toyota World Juniors in Japan and a Round of 16 finish at the US Boys Amateur also highlight a successful 2013 for the young prodigy. The Mandurah Amateur Open Championship is a National Ranking Event played over 72 holes of Stroke Play. Day one and two will each include 18 holes with 36 holes being played on the final day. While the “Owen Tuckey Medal” is the main prize for the weekend for the eventual winner of the open event, two players have been nominated by each state body to compete in the Two-Man cup, with the state with the lowest score over the 72 holes being declared the winner.