Top amateurs tee off at Keperra Bowl
IN: News | Queensland Mens | Keperra Bowl (2008) | Preview | by Anthony Powter | 13 May 2008
There should be plenty of opportunities for the next wave of Australian male amateur golfing talent to prove themselves at the Keperra Bowl, when the championship gets underway today in Brisbane.
The departure a few weeks ago to Europe by world-ranked Australian amateurs, Scott Arnold, Tim Stewart and Rohan Blizard, has opened the door for the rest of the field to claim the last national selection trial event on the Australian amateur circuit.
Scott Arnold, the winner of the Riversdale Cup, Tim Stewart, the Tasmanian Open winner and Rohan Blizard, the NSW Amateur Medalist, began their European campaigns earlier than in previous years in an attempt to be fully prepared for the British Amateur, starting 16 June at Turnberry. Stewart, many will recall, lost in last year’s final to American, Drew Weaver, 2&1, and is looking to go one further on his return to Britain.
Stewart, Arnold and Blizard this season have either collected a major Australian amateur victory, been in contention or finished inside the top-10. It leaves a void in this week’s line up, however its being filled by a number of emerging young talents, eager to make their own mark on the major Australian amateur circuit.
Twenty-year-old Matt Jager is one. Relatively new in the amateur scene, the Western Australian has been quick to establish himself as one of our most promising talents.
“If you asked my back at the Federal Amateur last October, if I would take four top-ten finishes in national trial events this season and a top 32 at the Australian Amateur, I would have said ‘you bet’,” remarked Jager this evening after his practice round at Keperra Country Club.
Jason Scrivener is another promising talent capable of winning this event. Like many emerging younger stars, Scrivener is eager to establish himself and views this week’s championship as being the perfect platform to secure his first win.
“It’s been a terrific start for me, I’m looking forward to it and with some of the main players away, it’s an opportunity for a title,” said Scrivener, with four top-ten national selection trial event finishes this season and a runner-up finish to Michael Foster in the Western Australian Amateur.
Eagle Chang, the 2005 Australian Junior champion, also is not to be discounted this week. With some subtle changes to his swing and a new coach, Chang appears to be making a resurgence after being out of the limelight for the last few years. The 17-year-old played well at last week’s Queensland Amateur championship and knows the Keperra layout and how to play it’s many doglegs.
“It’s a course where you need to drive well to score,” remarked Chang. “The par 5’s are all reachable and if you get the ball into the right position, you’ll be using a wedge in and be able to get it close to set up a birdie.”
Michael Foster, who will be paired with Chang for the opening two rounds, agrees also that Keperra is a driver’s course.
“If your driver is on, you can make a lot of birdies out there,” said Foster, runner-up at this year’s Australian Amateur championship. “Last year Dodty [Andrew Dodt] won at 18-under, but the course is now a little greener and playing longer. You’ll think 15-under would be a good score on Friday.”
Foster, along with Matthew Griffin, Josh Younger, Michael Raseta, winner of the NSW Amateur and Grant Scott, represent the ‘seasoned’ contingent this week at Keperra. They are all serious challengers for the title.
“How well you play the par-3’s is the secret this week,” says Griffin, winner of the Mandurah Easter Amateur. “If you can play them to par, opportunities arise with the shorter par-5’s and the par-4’s. The greens are firmer than last year, yet rolling better. You’ll see some low scores this week, that’s for sure.”
A number of local players should also perform well this week.
Brett Rankin continued with his excellent showing with a top-16 at last month’s Australian Amateur, by winning the Queensland Amateur Medal recently. Rankin’s game is strong and well suited to the Keperra layout and given his recent successes, he should seriously challenge the field. Queensland state team member, Peter Hall and Queensland Amateur champion, Jared Consoli, are also worth following.
It’s an open field at Keperra, with plenty of potential challenges seeking the title. The departure of some of our main amateurs has open the door for the others to make their mark, and it’s now a distinct chance that a newcomer will be holding the trophy on Friday afternoon.
