Sanctuary Lakes to host 2005 Victorian PGA
BY iseekgolf.com | Von Nida Tour | 2005 Victorian PGA Championship | General | 13 Jul 2004
The Victorian PGA Championship, the longest running golf tournament in Victoria’s history, will now become the first major golfing tournament staged in the west of Melbourne in over 45 years.
History will be relived today when Jack Harris the winner of the event in 1957 when it was played in the west at Medway Golf Club and who holds the record number of six wins of the tournament officially launches the Victorian PGA 2005 Championship by chipping over the water onto the 18th green at Sanctuary Lakes Resort.
Martin Doyle, last year’s winner, will join Jack in the historic chip off.
The tournament with prize money of $100,000 will be staged between 28th February – 6th March 2005 at the Greg Norman designed Sanctuary Lakes Resort golf course showcasing some of the best golfers Australia has to offer.
In a joint statement the Chief Executive of the PGA Max Garske and Mr Stephen Head, Managing Director of the Links Group said the moving of the VIC PGA Championship to Sanctuary Lakes Resort will be the first major tournament on the Greg Norman designed course.
The Victorian PGA Championship was first played in 1922, as a knockout match-play tournament with Dan Soutar being crowned champion.
The honour roll includes Australian golfing greats George Naismith, Eric Cremin, Bruce Devlin, Peter Thomson and “Ossie” Pickworth, as well as recent stars Wayne Riley, Peter Senior, Mike Harwood and Stuart Appleby.
Mr Head said, “The staging of the Victorian PGA Championship at Sanctuary Lakes Resort provided a major step in the recognition of Sanctuary Lakes Resort as one of Melbourne’s leading golfing courses.”
“Sanctuary Lakes Resort is a private golf course known for its manicured layout, picturesque billabongs, and prolific birdlife and has been specifically designed to accommodate televising of events”.
The Victorian PGA Championship slogan is “Australia’s Best Young Golfers”, with the tournament being recognised for the development of future champions. In recent years, young guns Aaron Baddeley, Euan Walters, Gavin Coles, Andre Stolz, Geoff Ogilvy and Scott Gardiner have all contested the tournament.
The Victorian PGA Championship is part of the Von Nida Tour named after golfing legend Norman Von Nida, who is recognised as a pioneer in Australian golf. His 80 career wins in all parts of the world is an achievement to which all golfers aspire.
The Von Nida Tour has 12 events scheduled throughout Australia and New Zealand and the Victorian PGA Championship promises to be a highlight.
Source – PGA Australia
