Record field for 2016 NSW Veteran State Championship in Western Sydney

Four time winner and defending champion Col Kenning and two time champion Greg Kent (2013/2014)
Four time winner and defending champion Col Kenning and two time champion Greg Kent (2013/2014)

A RECORD field of older golfers is contesting the 2016 NSW Veteran Golfers Association Strokeplay Championship with some gun entrants set to shakeup the increasingly successful event.

Organisers are ecstatic the Western Sydney based championship this year is fully subscribed after spending three years building the tournament up after its move from the Bankstown area.

Western Sydney President Les Knox said, “The Committee has been overwhelmed with the number of entries received, now in excess of 150 players”.

“We have worked hard to build this tournament in the West and are now reaping the rewards with a fantastic response from country golfers”.

“The field includes more than 50 senior golfers from Albury, Ballina, Bega, Belmont, Bermagui, Braidwood, Branxton, Charlestown, Cowra, Dubbo, Everglades, Forster-Tuncurry, Goulburn, Gundagai, Horizons, Hunter Valley, Jamberoo, Kiama, Manilla, Morissett, Moss Vale, Murwillumbah, Oxley GC (Qld), Port Kembla, Sanctuary Cove (Qld), Shellcove, Shelley Beach, St Georges Basin, Stonebridge, The Ridge, The Vintage and Wyong.”

The success of the tournament is a tribute to the work done by tournament director Knox and his team and has also has been helped by the recent move by Golf NSW to include the championship as a state Senior Order of Merit event.

This has no doubt helped to attract a top notch field that includes some of Australia’s elite senior amateur golfers.

This includes well known local golfers Dennis Dale (Twin Creeks) Sal Ballard (Penrith) and David Limbach (Penrith), all off a handicap of 1, as well as Laurie Cupples, a three handicapper from Leonay Golf Club.

Dale, a two time Australian Senior Amateur Champion, is looking forward to playing what will be his first ever veteran event.

The strengthened field will mean and even greater challenge for the likes of defending champion and four-time winner Col Kenning (Kiama) and 2014 champion Greg Kent (Charlestown), pictured above.

“This is the hottest field assembled in recent memory with 50 players in the field having a Golf Australia handicap in single figures,” Knox said.

The 54 hole tournament gets underway Monday March 21 at Richmond Golf Club, with the Tuesday round at Penrith Golf Club and then the final round Wednesday at the top rated Stonecutters Ridge Golf Club.

Major sponsors including Frasers Property Australia and Warren Saunders Insurance Brokers have ensured the total prize pool on offer exceeds a value of $3,000.

Australian Senior Golfer will be at the event playing and covering the championship all three days so look out for our reports.

Stonecutters Ridge Golf Club
The Greg Norman designed Stonecutters Ridge Golf Club will see the final round and presentation on Wednesday March 23

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