Aussies descend on US for Sunnehanna

BY Anthony Powter | World Amateur Mens Tour | 2008 Sunnehanna Amateur Tournament for Champions | Preview | 05 Jun 2008

Whilst a number of our best amateurs are currently based in the UK, playing this week’s St Andrews Links Trophy and staying on for the British Amateur at Turnberry in a fortnight’s time, an equally strong contingent arrived in America this week to contest the Sunnehanna Amateur Tournament for Champions.

Five Australians, Ray Beaufils, Michael Foster, Brett Rankin, Justin Roach and Jin Jeong, have entered this prestigious event, which was inaugurated in July 1954 and ranked 18th under the Scratch Players world tournament ranking system, a slot above the Lake Macquarie Amateur.

Rickie Fowler, the defending champion, starts this week as favourite. Ranked the second world amateur, Fowler will be seeking to repeat another strong amateur year, following representative honours in 2007 US Walker Cup Team, 2008 US Palmer Cup Team, as well as securing the 2007 Players Amateur.

Australians have experienced previous success at Sunnehanna where Michael Sim claimed the title in 2005. This year’s challenge will be spearheaded by Ray Beaufils, Michael Foster, Brett Rankin and Justin Roach.

Foster, the runner-up at the Australian Amateur in April, returns to the Pennsylvannia layout for the second time, fully aware of what’s required to perform well in the tournament.

“The course doesn’t measure overly long and is just over 6800 yards and a par 70,” says Foster, who won the Rice Planters Championship in America last year.

“Yet for some reason it seems to play heaps longer than the card suggests. There are only three par 5’s, two of which measure over 600 yards uphill and five par 3’s, which are definitely the key to the golf course. If we can play the par 3’s in even par this week, we wont be too far off the mark.”

Brett Rankin is on his maiden trip to Sunnehanna, following strong local performances back in Australia, where the Queenslander made the second round of the Australian Amateur at Royal Adelaide and won the 2008 Queensland Medal. Rankin is ready to test himself against the Americans.

“I’m sure it’s going to be a real eye-opener,” remarked Rankin this morning from Pennsylvannia.

“It’s really exciting to finally get to America to play in some of the finest golf tournaments an amateur can play in the world. I had my first look at the course yesterday and was very impressed with the condition and toughness of the layout.”

Beaufils is another that should make his mark felt this week. Like Rankin, Beaufils had a strong Australian Amateur tournament and was joint runner up to Matthew Griffin at the recent Keperra Bowl, after firing a sensational final round of 64.

“I love the place and pride myself on striving to be competitive in the US,” said Beaufils immediately before leaving Australia.

“This year I’m going over to win and approach the tournaments in a serious manner. Sure, we’ll have some fun, but this year it will be strictly business.”

Justin Roach’s preparation was hampered this week after losing his clubs in transit, yet the runner up in the 2007 Australian Amateur views the setback of not having a practice round more as positive.

“I got in on Monday night without my golf clubs or luggage, so I have missed out on the practice rounds,” said Roach.

“This morning’s practice round has just been cancelled because of the weather, so all this does not really worry me. I like to play courses I haven’t played before blind and my clubs have finally turned up, so I’m ready.”

A quick review of past champions and competitors reveals an impressive list including Tiger Woods, Scott Verplank, John Cook, Brad Faxon and Justin Leonard, who have all participated in the stroke event.

For Beaufils, Foster and Roach, playing in the Sunnehanna Amateur represents their first chance to show their wares, as they approach the opening American tournament with the attitude they can collect a major amateur title this tour. It’s Brett Rankin’s first American tournament and he also is ready to fire.

They will soon be joined by Matthew Griffin, Josh Younger and American based Matthew Giles as well as the Australian contingent currently in the UK, at the Dogwood Invitational, which starts 25 June. At present, they are attending to business at the Sunnehanna Amateur, eager to send the message that the Australians have arrived.