Queensland Open saved
BY iseekgolf.com | Von Nida Tour | 2007 Queensland Open | Preview | 31 Aug 2007
One of Queensland golf’s most prized titles, the Queensland Open has been brought back from the brink of cancellation, thanks to new major sponsors in City Pacific Limited and Mirvac, a new host venue at Gainsborough Greens Golf Club and the prospect that Australia’s highest ranked golfer, Adam Scott, will make a guest appearance during the event to be held from October 24 – 28 2007.
With the drought severely affecting the course at Ipswich Golf Club, the event was in danger of being cancelled for this year, until an opportune phone conversation between the Queensland PGA’s Tournament Coordinator Broc Greenhalgh and Michael Pimm, General Manager of the Gainsborough Greens, acted as the catalyst for the club to explore the possibility of hosting the Queensland Open, and for the tournament to provide a vehicle to promote the course and associated residential development.
Gainsborough Greens engaged JD Sports Agency to promote the tournament, with directors Dylan Campbell, who is former Australian Junior Representative, and Jeff White, a 250 game AFL ruckman with the Melbourne Football Club, managing to get City Pacific Limited and Mirvac (who are joint venture partners in the Gainsborough Greens redevelopment) to come on board as naming rights sponsors for the 2007 City Pacific-Mirvac Queensland Open.
“We are extremely pleased that the Queensland Open was not another victim of the horrible drought in the South East. With The Cairns Classic and the Queensland PGA scheduled either side of this prestigious event, we are certain to see a high quality field participate in our season ending Von Nida Tour events,” said Von Nida Tour Manager David Podlich. “Thanks must go to JD Sports Agency, City Pacific Limited, Mirvac and Gainsborough Greens for their prompt commitment to the event.”
In a further coup for the event, through Campbell and White’s close personal friendship with Australia’s highest ranked player Adam Scott, the event will work to raise funds for the Adam Scott Foundation, and there is a distinct possibility that the world number five player will make a guest appearance at the event in October.
In announcing the charitable partnership, Adam Scott said, “I am very pleased that the Adam Scott Foundation is associated with the Queensland Open and we are certain that this support will develop into a long standing relationship. Gainsborough Greens and JD Sports have taken up the challenge to operate this year’s event to ensure a 2007 tournament and I congratulate them on their desire to stage a Von Nida Tour event particularly in light of the short lead time available.”
The Queensland Open, to be staged at Gainsborough Greens Golf Club, has long been a great Queensland event for young amateurs and professionals, with the event proving to be somewhat of a springboard event to US tour.
Recent winners such as Andrew Buckle (2002), Scott Hend (2003) and Steven Bowditch (2004) have all progresses to the world’s richest tour in a short period of time, and past victors include some of the greats of Australian golf, Norman Von Nida, Greg Norman, Kel Nagle, Ian Baker-Finch, Graham Marsh and Peter Senior.
