A record field of around 110 players will contest the 2011 Golf SA Medal & Amateur Championship, which tees off a Blackwood and Mt Osmond Golf Clubs next Monday morning. A field of 82 players will contest the men’s SA medal event over 72 holes at Blackwood Golf Club. Following 36 holes on day one, the leading 32 players plus ties will continue on to the second day to play a further 36 holes. The leading 16 qualifiers from day two will continue on to contest the SA Amateur championship at Glenelg Golf Club. With 2010 champion Max McCardle and former champion Jordon Sherratt having joined the professional ranks in the last 12 months, this year s Championship promises to be a tightly contested affair with 13 interstate players adding considerable depth to a field which features 31 players boasting a handicap of 0.4 or better. Amongst the favourites for this year s title will be senior state representatives Brad Moules and Tom Bond, two-time championship winner Chris Austin and current national junior championship holder Anthony Murdaca. A healthy field of 27 players will contest the women’s championship, with experienced state representatives Ebony Heard, Emma Ash and Sarah King again expected to dominate. Last year s champion Heard is chasing an impressive forth title from her last six starts having also won back to back titles in 2006 and 2007. The women’s field contest the Medal rounds over 18 holes at Mt Osmond Golf Club and Blackwood Golf Club on day s one and two respectively before moving onto the Amateur Championship match-play rounds at Glenelg. For all Championship draws and results click here for the tournament event page on the Golf SA website. About the Golf Amateur Championship The Golf SA Medal and Amateur is the pre-eminent individual championship for an amateur golfer in the State. The Men’sAmateur Championship has an unbroken history dating back to the inception of the South Australian Golf Association (SAGA) in 1905. There were two periods of recess (1914-1918 World War I & 1940-1945 World War II). Records indicate that the Amateur Championship was played from 1900-1904, although not under the auspice of SAGA. The name of the Amateur Champion is placed on the SAGA Honour Board. The Women’s Amateur Championship dates back to 1902 when it was played as the Ladies State Championship. It was conducted under the auspices of SAGA from 1905 to 1929 when the South Australian Ladies Golf Union (SALGU) was formed as a separate entity. There were two periods of recess (1914-1918 World War I & 1940-1945 World War II). In 2009 Golf SA combined the Men’s& Women’s Medal & Amateur Championships into one consolidated event. The Medal is a stroke event that leads to qualification for the Amateur a match play final where the winner is declared the South Australian Amateur Champion. For a full list of previous Championship winners, click here for the tournament event page on the Golf SA website.
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