Opportunity knocks for amateurs at Federal Open
BY Anthony Powter | Australian Mens Amateur Tour | 2006 Federal Amateur Open Championship | Preview | 28 Sep 2006
A record field of 170 players will commence their pursuit for the Federal Amateur Open Championship in Canberra tomorrow. The non-attendance of a number of top ranked Australian amateur players, who are not playing due to injury, sickness or overseas commitments, leaves the door wide open for anyone in the field to claim the prestigious title and with it, a place in the 2007 British Amateur.
Mitchell Brown is still recovering from a wrist injury sustained in America during the Porter Cup, Stephen Dartnell fell sick on Wednesday forcing him to cancel at the last moment and Andrew Tampion remains overseas. The defending Champion, Andrew Martin will not be returning, as he considers other options regarding his future. Despite this the field is still solid and includes a number of our top ranked amateurs as well as international players from Asia and Europe.
Considered the “opening” major event on the Australian Amateur schedule, the Federal Amateur is also a National Team Selection trial, giving it that extra element of challenge and importance.
The tournament was first staged in 1951, achieving Vardon status in the 1970’s and approved as a National Selection Trial event for Australian amateur teams in 2004. Previous winners have included current Nationwide Tour player Nick Flanagan (2003) and Australian PGA Tour player Gavin Flint (2004).
A number of the players in the field have recently returned from playing major amateur events in America and they will be the ones to watch as the tournament unfolds over the weekend.
Rick Kulacz, a current National Squad member and former World Champion must be considered a favourite. His form in the later part of his American Tour was impressive with strong performances in the Dogwood Invitational (T4th), Players Amateur (T14th) and The Porter Cup (T15th), all major US amateur championships.
For Kulacz, there will be a question whether the Western Australian can remain in contention over this weekend. This was an issue confronting Kulacz earlier in the year, in particular, following low opening rounds in the Sunnehanna Amateur and the Northeast Amateur Invitational in the US, only to fall back with disappointing subsequent rounds to finish down in the field.
Victorian Ashley Hall should not be discounted. Presently ranked 22nd in the US Golf Week Amateur Ranking, Hall played some excellent golf in the US making the semi-finals in the North South Amateur as well as a top ten finish at The Players Amateur. The Tasmanian Open winner certainly has the game and experience to also be a real chance this week.
Andrew Dolt is another player in with a real chance. The Malaysian Amateur Champion also played the US major amateur circuit this season and will be looking to make his mark as will be Australian Amateur Champion Tim Stewart.
The other notable players include Jamie Arnold, Tristan Lambert, Won Joon Lee, Ray Beaufils and Mathew Jones.
It will make interesting golf with many players looking to establish their credentials and at the same time remind the Australian selectors that although the Eisenhower Cup team has been determined, they should not be discounted in the future.
