Victorian Open boasts stellar field
IN: News | Von Nida | Victorian Open (2006) | Preview | 02 Feb 2006
An impressive field of outstanding local talent including 29 of the top 30 from the 2005 Von Nida Tour Money List will line up at the Woodlands Golf Club for the Victorian Open Championship starting tomorrow.
The second event on the 2006 Von Nida Tour, the Victorian Open boasts one of the strongest line ups ever with past winners, up and coming professionals and a number of Victoria's best amateurs promising it to be one of the most exciting yet.
Led by last year's Money List winner & 2005 WA PGA victor, South Australian Adam Bland, the 2006 Victorian Open will also be attended by every winner from the 2005 Von Nida Tour, including: defending Champion Kurt Barnes, Cameron Percy (National Australia Bank Vic PGA), Gavin Flint (Bega Cheese NSW PGA), Michael Wright (Toyota Southern Classic, Proton NSW Open), Tony McFadyean (Schweppes SA PGA), Tony Christie – NZL, (Nth Qld X-Ray Services Cairns Classic), Nick Flanagan (Minniecon & Burke Qld Masters), Brad McIntosh (Roadcon Group Qld Open) and Scott Gardiner (Greater Building Society Qld PGA).
The tournament also boasts the likes of no less than 15 Australasian Tour winners including the experienced Peter Senior who holds 19 Australasian Tour titles and a further seven wins on the Japan and European Tours to his credit. Jarrod Moseley, winner of the 1999 Heineken Classic and 2003 Cadbury Schweppes Australian PGA Championship will also line up in preparation for next week's Johnnie Walker Classic in Perth.
Victorian Steven Allan, winner of the 2002 Australian Open returns to the course where he played as an amateur to play in his first Von Nida Tour event. Allan has spent the last five years on the US PGA TOUR, so his return will be a chance for Australian audiences to see him in action.
Defending champion Kurt Barnes will hope to re-visit memories of his second Von Nida Tour victory when he won event in 2005 in a fierce battle with Richard Green, ultimately winning on the first hole of a sudden death playoff. The big hitting Barnes, from Musswellbrook in NSW has two Von Nida Tour victories, including the 2004 Toyota Queensland PGA Championship.
In addition to Barnes, this year's championship will also play host to five previous winners of the title.
Scott Laycock (2001), Brad Lamb (2000), Ken Druce (1999), Lucas Parsons (1993) and Mike Clayton (1982 & 1989) will all be eager to have their names etched on the prestigious Open Championship Cup again.
World Junior Champion Jason Day and 2004 Australian Amateur Champion Andrew Martin will be attempting to follow the footsteps of Brad Lamb and Robert Allenby by trying to become only the third amateur to ever take out the title.
The one absence from this week's event is Nathan Green who finished runner-up in just his second US PGA Tour event last weekend, losing out in a play-off to eventual winner Tiger Woods at the Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines in California.
Green is the classic example of an aspiring golfer who has successfully used the pathways that the Von Nida Tour has opened up to branch out and find success on the Australasian and World Golf Tours
The Victorian Open has a rich history linking back to the first Championship of Victoria played at Royal Melbourne in 1899. The first tournament named the VicOpen was held in 1957 and is one of the long-standing, traditional Championship events still remaining on the Australian golf circuit
Many of the great champions of Australian and International golf have won the Vic Open. Players such as Peter Thomson, Greg Norman, Bob Shearer, Ian Stanley, Ian Baker-Finch, and Robert Allenby have all won the prestigious title in the past
The Victorian Open Championships will be held over 54 holes at the Woodlands Golf Club, White Street, Mordialloc between Friday 3rd and Sunday the 5th of February. The cut will be made after play on Saturday with the top 50 professionals and ties battling it out on Sunday.
Source - PGA Tour
