Date: March 08, 2018
Author: Mark Hayes

Stars align for historic #RivCup

There's a lot of history at the Riversdale Cup – and this week promises to provide another gripping chapter.

The Riversdale Golf Club, again spectacularly presented in Melbourne's south-east, today begins its 110th edition of an annual championship first held in 1896, pre-dating even the Australian Open by eight years.

Barring the war years, it is thought to be the world’s longest running amateur tournament organised by a private club.

The men's honour rolls is a who's who of Australian amateur golf, with multiple winners including Ivo Whitton, Kevin Hartley and, more recently, Robert Allenby.

The champions' list of the past five years continues to show the respect with which the tournament is held by all elite youngsters around the country with Brady Watt, Ryan Ruffels, Travis Smyth, Harrison Endycott and defending champion Dylan Perry all among the world's best when victorious.

The women's event, now in its 60th year, also boasts a rich tradition with Burtta Cheney and Michelle Ellis among the multiple champions.

More recently, Lindsey Wright and 2017 champ Karis Davidson are among the standout winners.

This year's event will again be hotly contested with Gold Coaster Becky Kay, Sydney's Doey Choi and reigning Victorian Amateur champ Stephanie Bunque among the field's leading female contenders.

In a particularly deep men's field, Matias Sanchez, Zach Murray, Charlie Dann, Fred Lee, Josh Armstrong, Louis Dobbelaar and world No.11 David Micheluzzi are all out to dethrone Perry, who was sublime last year.

The tournament is four rounds of stroke play beginning this morning with entry free each day.

DRAW