Quality field to contest Konica Queensland Medal
IN: News | Queensland Mens | Queensland Medal (2003) | Preview | 28 Apr 2003
A high quality field of 258 players will contest the Konica Queensland Medal at the Oxley and Gailes Golf Clubs over the Labour Day weekend (Saturday 3rd - Monday 5th May 2003). More than one-quarter of the field will play off handicaps of one or better, with a record 28 scratch markers nominating.
The Konica Queensland Medal is the stroke play qualifying tournament for the Konica Amateur Championship of Queensland, which will be played at Keperra Country Golf Club from 7th - 9th May. The top 32 players from the Konica Queensland Medal will earn the right to play for the State's most prestigious amateur golf trophy.
The Medal itself is played over 72 holes with half the field playing at each venue over the first two days. Following Sunday's second round, the top 60 players (plus ties) will progress to the final 36 holes, which is to be played at Oxley during celebrations for this Club's 75th Anniversary.
The field of 258 players should find both of the courses in use for the Konica Queensland Medal in excellent condition, after consistent rainfall over the past 3 months.
The entire State Squad (except Richard Moir who is based at the AIS in Victoria) has nominated for the event, and there is a strong probability that the winner will come from this group.
Among the leading contenders will be the following players:
Bronson La Cassie - Runner-up 2003 Tasmanian Open & 2002 Indooroopilly Jug
Jon O'Sullivan - 2001 Queensland Amateur Champion
Tom Davis - Current Australian Junior Champion
Adam Blyth - Current Leader of the 2002/03 Angus Buchanan Trophy
La Cassie and Davis are both members of the Queensland Academy of Sport Golf Program, and the other members of this squad - Duane Smith, Kunal Bhasin, Ben Bloomfield and Gavin Flint are also expected to feature prominently.
In an unusual occurrence, no previous winner of the Queensland Medal will contest this year's event, with every previous winner (since the stroke play format was introduced in 1994) having committed to a career as a professional. Last year Andrew Buckle won the double of the Queensland Medal and Queensland Amateur Championship, before going on to win the Queensland Open Championship in his professional golf debut.
Source - QGU
