The PGA National Futures Championships will begin at the Ballarat Golf Club on Tuesday.
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The event boasts the most talented professional trainees in the country as well as four international players.
Great Britain’s Mathew Webb, South Africa’s Thinus Rosslee and New Zealand pair Ben Guilford and John Bae gained qualification to the tournament by winning their corresponding event in their home country.
In total 100 entrants will take to the course in the four-day event and PGA Academy Training Manager Stephanie Jamieson expects the international flavour to rival some of the best home-grown talent.
Jamieson said the four foreigners might struggle adjusting to the Ballarat conditions but expected the promising trainees to be right up there on the leader board.
As for the rest of the field, Western Australian Brody Martin enters the tournament as the one to watch.
Martin won fellow four-round tournaments the Rich River Trainee Classic and the Southern Trainee Championship this year which has him as a warm favourite coming into the event.
Victorian Adam Burdett is also highly-fancied having won the Western Australian and South Australian state championship while he was runner-up to Martin in the Southern Trainee Championship.
New South Welshmen Robbie Hogan has also had a number of triumphs at state trainee championships in 2016.
Heavy rain across the last month has made for some nervous moments for tournament directors, but the club says the course is in great condition thanks to some timely good weather last week.
Ballarat Golf Club general manager Michael Phillips is extremely pleased with the condition of the course but had some advice for all competitors – stick to the fairways.
While the course itself is in good condition, the rough is very damp and thick following the wet weather.
“Obviously with the dryer weather we had on Thursday and Friday means the course is in really good condition so we’re really happy with the presentation,” Phillips said.
“The forecast is for very little rain this week, so that’s really good. It can handle 5-10mm of rain – not a problem at all. The issue would come if we got another 30-40mm but there’s no forecast for that.”
Phillips also expected the wind to play a substantial role in how the course plays – as it has done in previous years.
“The course is always challenging this time of year. Traditionally, October is a windy month.
“The wind definitely plays a significant role in the way the course plays … the last two years has been exactly that."
