With five players off a handicap of scratch or one in the boys’ division, de Vries is expecting the tournament to be decided on the final holes of Friday’s last round at Wollongong.

‘‘It should be a good tussle between the top five,’’ de Vries said.

A trio of St Michael’s youngsters is expected to feature prominently.

Seventeen-year-old s Shaun Cameron and Jake Baker are the lowest handicappers off scratch, while former Wollongong and Port Kembla junior Travis Smyth is off one. The defending champion now contests the pennants competition with St Michael’s.

Macarthur Grange’s Ethan Blackwell and Kane Alexander from Camden Lakeside also have a handicap of one.

Despite being down on entries, de Vries is tipping an equally as exciting contest between the girls.

‘‘There should be a good tussle between Stefanie Hall from Port Kembla who is on a 12 handicap and Natika Dunn from The Links who is on 11,’’ he said.

The Prime 90 junior tournament, now in its 33rd year, will feature players from the South West Sydney Academy of Sport and Far West NSW who are part of the Jack Newton Foundation.