IT MIGHT be the richest trainee tournament in the world, but a win at the PGA National Futures Championship promises more than money for Australia’s top apprentice professionals.
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Ballarat Golf Club is hosting the four-day event (set to start on Tuesday) for the first time, and many contesting the Futures have their hearts set on an invite to the 2015 Australian PGA Championship.
Top-three Australian ranked trainee Richie Gallichan, from Long Reef Golf Club, is one of several favourites hunting for a victory before chancing his arm in the professional ranks.
“A win here can open a lot of doors,” he said. “We play five or six tournaments a year – it’s limited – and you want to make sure you’re peaking for these events.”
Gallichan, who finished the 2013 season as Australia’s number-one ranked trainee, will have to bring his best to top a 100-plus field featuring three internationals and local hopes Simon Irving and Andrew Cartledge.
“To get a couple of Kiwis and a Pommy over here makes it a bit more intense in some ways,” he said.
Trainees on hand for Tuesday’s pro-am were given a taste of the bitter winds that covet Ballarat, and tournament director Geoff Stewart believes the conditions will play a considerable part in scoring.
“It’ll depend a lot on the wind – if it stays down then I’d expect a low score, maybe five to 10 under (par),” Stewart said.
Stewart paid tribute to the depth of field contesting the tournament, citing the success of now professional Jack Wilson, who won the WA PGA Championship and placed third in the Australian PGA shortly after last year’s Futures.
“It does show that we have some players who can perform,” he said.
“Ironically, despite the fact he (Wilson) came second behind Adam Scott and Rickie Fowler, he never won the Futures and that’s a testament to the quality of this event.”
Former PGA TOUR players Rod Pampling, Peter Lonard and Nick O’Hern are all former contestants of the 37-year-old tournament.
Stewart nominated Deyen Lawson, Dylan Higgins and Luke Hickman as favourites for the title alongside Gallichan.
Ballarat Golf Club is keen to strike a deal with PGA of Australia to retain the hosting rights of the Futures beyond 2014, and Stewart has already indicated his approval of a potential long-term deal.
“We’re hoping to be back for many years and we’d love to be here long-term, and I think it suits a city of this size,” he said.
michael.pollock@fairfaxmedia.com.au