Queensland's best prepare for Medal
IN: News | Queensland Mens | Queensland Medal (2008) | Preview | 29 Apr 2008
Nudgee Golf Club will be the proud host of the Queensland Medal to be held from tomorrow 30th April – 2nd May on the club’s North Course.
Leading the charge to take the Queensland Men’s Stroke Play title will be Ray Beaufils (Surfers Paradise) and Brett Rankin (Pacific). Both players have been relatively quiet in 2008 so far, but are close to the form they showed during 2007.
One other player to watch will be former professional, David Grenfell who is now back playing as an amateur. Grenfell, a member at Horton Park Golf Club plays off a handicap of +4, showing he may be a contender, even if he is giving away few years to the young guns.
The Queensland Medal is the State Men’s Stroke Play Championship held over 72 holes. Due to the oversubscription of entries for the event, Golf Queensland held two pre-qualifying events to cater for the demand last Thursday at Redcliffe and Carbrook Golf Clubs.
The 156 players making it into the Championship field will all be aiming to be amongst the top 16 at the end of the week to qualify for the Queensland Men’s Amateur Championship.
The Queensland Men’s Amateur Championship dates back to 1900 and is held in the traditional match play format, as are many of the world’s leading amateur championships. This year Golf Queensland is pleased to be heading back to Bribie Island Golf Club for the Amateur, about an hour north of Brisbane.
Bribie hosted the Medal last year and proved to be an outstanding host, with the golf course considered by many as one of the best in the State. It is again in excellent condition this year and will provide a suitable challenge for the State’s oldest Championship.
For those players that make the top 16, they will be tested over 36 hole matches, and only those with their A-games and the stamina required are likely to survive.
Last year’s Medallist – Kevin Lee and Amateur Champion Rika Batibasaga have both turned professional, so the door is open for one of the new elite to step up.
Both the Queensland Medal and the Queensland Amateur Championship are R&A World Amateur Ranking events, as is the Keperra Bowl that will follow these events from the 13th – 16th May.
Source – QGU
