Craig Scott leads NSW PGA charge

By Joel Ritchie
Updated November 5 2012 - 11:26pm, first published November 16 2009 - 10:12am
Wollongong Golf Club volunteers Les Gore (left), Peter Oyston and Peter Smith take time out from their work on the course for the NSW PGA.
Wollongong Golf Club volunteers Les Gore (left), Peter Oyston and Peter Smith take time out from their work on the course for the NSW PGA.

Craig Scott will be looking to capitalise on a top-10 finish at the Australian Masters when the NSW PGA starts at Wollongong Golf Club on Thursday.Scott, 26, shot a six-under-par 282 to finish tied for ninth with Swede Klas Eriksson and Spain's Alejandro Canizares at Kingston Heath.While World No 1 Tiger Woods left the field in his wake to collect the gold jacket, the young Victorian heads a healthy Masters contingent seeking redemption this week in Wollongong.Almost half the 144-man field for the $110,000 tournament tested themselves against the world's best last weekend, with 26 making the cut.Wollongong Golf Club director Chris Tuohy said the quality of the turnout was a testament to the NSW PGA's lure. "It's a very prestigious tournament, if you look at the past winners of this there's some very famous names on there," Tuohy said."The prize money is not huge but it is a tournament players want on their resume."Past winners include Peter Senior (1984, 1987 and 1989), Wayne Grady (1988), Brett Ogle (1990) and the godfather of Australian golf, Norman Von Nida (1936, 1946 and 1948).Reigning champion Tim Wood will be back to defend his crown against the likes of former US Tour winner Andre Stolz, 2009 Victorian PGA runner-up Stuart Bouvier and eight-time Australasian Tour winner Terry Price.Wollongong Golf Club pro Neil Speirs, ex-assistant pro Matt Rogers and Illawarra amateurs Aaron Keevers and Lincoln Tighe will also tackle the 5800m, par-70 course. The layout - revamped in 2004 but the oldest in Australia still on its original site - has been modified to cater for the first professional tournament in the Illawarra."The NSW PGA has changed the configuration for the tournament, we're usually a traditional golf course which is nine out, nine home, but for this we've reconfigured it to be a returning nine, each nine will come back to the clubhouse," Tuohy said.The final spots in the field were decided during pre-qualifying at Eastlake Golf Club yesterday. A nine-hole ladies pro-am will be played today from 9.30am.Two pro-ams - featuring 25 four-man groups each will be played tomorrow from 7.30am and 1pm.

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