Tasmanian Open: Rich in History

BY Anthony Powter | Australian Mens Amateur Tour | 2009 Tasmanian Open Championship | Preview | 19 Feb 2009

For an event first held in 1913, the history of the Tasmanian Open is steep in tradition and former champions include some of the country’s finest. Whilst it might currently not hold the status the event enjoyed during the seventies, where the Tasmanian Open was a regular on the Australian tour, its current National Trial status makes it an event our top amateurs certainly want to bag.

Recent winners include Nick Flanagan (2003), Ashley Hall (2005), England’s Ben Parker (2006) and for the last two years Rohan Blizard and Tim Stewart.

Geoff Ogilvy, Brendan Jones and Mathew Goggin have claimed the title during the nineties. The list of former champions gives an appreciation as to the event’s rich history and standing on the Australian golfing circuit.

The four-round stroke tournament commences this Friday, at Launceston Golf Club, in the North of Tasmania.

The par 72 layout at just 5987 metres, is not overly long by modern standards, but Launceston is a course with numerous dog-leg holes which require precision off the tee. Its fairways are also heavily tree-lined and combined with the smallish target greens, the layout should present a stern challenge for Australia’s top amateurs.

“You have to play precision golf with your tee shots to enable to set up your approach,” says Ryan McCarthy, the 2008 Tasmanian Amateur champion and National Squad member.

“It’s our State’s biggest tournament and I’m looking forward to playing in front of my home crowd after being away for so long. It’s one I would love to win, that’s for sure.”

McCarthy represents one of the next wave of Australian talent to hit the world stage, which includes the likes of Matt Jager, Brendan Smith, Daniel Nisbet, Daniel Beckmann, Bryden Macpherson and Michael Smyth.

All are competing this week and are capable of challenging for the title, no more so that Michael Smyth who accounted for a strong international field at the NSW Amateur Championship a fortnight ago to claim his maiden major amateur win, after been in the hunt so many times earlier.

“I’m still on a high after my last tournament,” says Smyth.

Symth, like many in the field, appreciates the timing of the Tasmanian Open and the importance for players to get into some form before the season ending tournaments.

“This is the serious end of the Australian season with the Riversdale Cup coming up, followed by the Australian Amateur next month, so you really are trying to get your game at its peak to compete well.”

This Tasmanian Open is Smyth’s third and he enters the tournament with seven top-ten finishes from his last eight National Trial events. With his maiden amateur win secured after the NSW Amateur, I strongly favour his chances in Launceston for back-back wins in as many tournaments.

Another to closely follow is Scott Arnold, who is always a threat in these events. With the 2008 Riversdale Cup and the 2009 Lake Macquarie Amateur titles in the last twelve months already to his credit, Arnold will take some stopping in his third attempt at the Tasmanian Open.

Last week at the NSW Cup, a thirty six hole State Vardon event in New South Wales, Arnold fired a course record 8-under-par 64 in extremely testing conditions to win the event by ten strokes on arguably one of the toughest golf courses in the country. His 64 sets the benchmark for the professionals at next year’s Australian Open when it is played at NSW Golf Club.

“I played some of my best ever golf last week in conditions that were less than favourable,” said Arnold, ranked seventeen in the world.

“My irons were pure and hopefully I can continue with that striking around Launceston, which is a course where you have to be in position off the tee to be able to attack the green.”

Jason Scrivener, another emerging talent, is absent this week in Tasmania having pre-qualified for this week’s Johnnie Walker Classic in Perth. Pre-qualifying was a decision Scrivener elected over venturing to Tasmania following the NSW Amateur and it’s one that proved to be worth it. Scrivener is set for an experience which he’s sure to savour playing in his first European Tour event in front of his local supporters in Western Australia.

Tim Stewart was the only player to finish under-par in a rain shortened fifty-six hole event last year at the Tasmanian Open, four strokes ahead of local Luke Young. Stewart has since turned professional, however, Young is returning in an attempt to go one better this year.

Daniel Beckmann, who held the third round lead at the NEC Master of the Amateurs last month only to miss a three way play-off with Rickie Fowler and Mark Anderson for the title on the final day, finished tied third last year in Tasmania.

Beckmann followed the NEC Masters with a top-ten finish at the Lake Macquarie Amateur, and the 2007 Federal Amateur champion is due for another major amateur title. Regarded as a strategic player, Beckmann should fair well this week as the course suits her style of play.

With our best amateurs, combined with some seasoned professional, the Tasmanian Open will certainly unfold into an interesting tournament.

For our amateurs the event represents the start of the climb to the Australian Amateur, to be played in Brisbane next month. Before then they would love nothing better than to claim one of the oldest tournaments on the Australian schedule and join the names of many accomplish player on the trophy.