Muswellbrook added to NSW Open series
BY ALEX TIGANI
The Muswellbrook Open has been revealed as the latest addition to this year’s NSW Regional Open series schedule.
The Muswellbrook Golf Club will welcome 80 professional golfers as well as leading amateurs to the event which will take place from September 26-28.
“We have never had the standard of players that what we will have here next month because we have a lot of leading professionals and amateurs that are coming here,” Muswellbrook Golf Club captain Dale Snow told The Hunter River Times.
A total of 30 professionals and 90 amateurs will compete on Day 1 for the Pro Am (teams comprised of one professional and three amateurs). A prize pool of $3000 will be on offer for the amateurs.
Then, history will be made on the remaining two days when Muswellbrook follows Murray Downs and Coolangatta-Tweed as the third venue in the six event qualifying series.
“We have never had this in the Upper Hunter before,” he continued.
“We will have 80 professionals and 40 leading amateurs playing off to qualify from Day 2 and 3 for the NSW Open and there will be $20,000 worth of prize money.
“We will have top class golfers over the three days.”
The Upper Hunter already has a proud connection to the event after Muswellbrook’s George Serhan captured the 1980 NSW Open with a four-stroke victory over Scotland’s Samuel Torrance OBE.
This added to his 1977 Fiji Open and 1979 Western Samoan Open crowns.
Other Muswellbrook talents such as Kurt Barnes have returned to the spotlight.
The 41-year-old finished 18th at the Gold Coast Teams Challenge Pro Am.
With large crowds expected across the week there is every chance we may unearth the next Serhan or Barnes in the week.
“When you also look at restaurants and accommodation this is going to be very good for the town in general,” he concluded.
| NSW Regional Open Series Schedule | ||
| EVENT | GOLF CLUB | DATE |
| The Murray Open | Murray Downs G&CC | September 5-7 |
| Tweed Coast Open | Coolangatta-Tweed GC | September 21-23 |
| Muswellbrook Open | Muswellbrook GC | September 26-28 |
| Queanbeyan Open | Queanbeyan GC | November 2-4 |
| South Coast Open | Mollymook GC | December 12-14 |
| Western Open | Dubbo GC | January 8-10 |