Originally threatened by forest fires that surrounded Sydney, the European Tour’s latest event in Australia is in danger of being flooded out after a second day of torrential rain at a course appropriately called The Lakes.
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| Aaron Baddeley - looking for repeat. |
With players unable to practice and the pro-am already called off, the ANZ Championship, the latest leg in the Tour’s global schedule, due to start tomorrow (Thursday), is already likely to be extended into Monday.
According to some reports, ten inches of rain in two days has meant that patients in two local hospitals have had to be moved from their beds as roads were turned into rivers in the City suburbs.
The tournament has already hit problems with top seed Michael Campbell, the highest world-rated player expected to be in the field, pulling out over contractual problems.
The tournament organisers claimed he was demanding appearance money, his manager denying it, saying it was removed from his schedule weeks ago. New Zealander Campbell is staying with his family, five minutes down the road and plans to watch the action on television!
One of the favourites for the title is Aussie youngster Aaron Baddeley who beat Sergio Garcia in a playoff at the same course last year to claim the Australian Open but the accurate and determined Peter ‘Pom’ O’Malley is a more likely challenger after his share of second place behind Ernie Els at the Heineken Classic on Sunday.
Swindon’s David Howell, known as ‘Howler’ to his mates, and a former winner of the Australian PGA title, will also be staking a claim after his second place performance at Royal Melbourne.
If it goes ahead, the tournament will be played as a modified stableford, similar to ‘The International’ on the US PGA Tour.
Designed to attract attacking golf, it offers five points for an eagle (eight for albatross), three for every birdie and nothing for par. Bogeys mean a one point penalty and anything worse on a hole, a three point penalty.
Apart from the £118,676 first prize, the winner also gets an invitation to play the similar US event at Castle Pines near Denver.
Look out for the in-form Stephen Leaney, Craig Parry and Greg Owen to also make a showing in the closing stages.
