Q Golf - Official online magazine for Golf Queensland Spring 2012 | Page 14

Classics attract

cream of the crop
Two classic events on Golf Queensland’s sporting calendar
can’t come quick enough for Australia’s best young golfers.
By David Newbery
Two classic events on Golf Queensland’s
sporting calendar can’t come quick
enough for Australia’s best young golfers.

Australian golf have played in the
tournament including major winners Greg
Norman and Ian Baker-Finch, Peter Senior,
Adam Scott, Jason Day, Steve Bowditch,
Cameron Smith and many others.

The Gary Player Classic (September 25-28)
and the Katherine Hull Classic (September
23-25) are virtually upon us and will be
played out during the September school
holidays.

The event is played in three age divisions
– 15 years and under, 16-17 years and
18-20 years. It will attract more than 200
players and includes former champion
Viraat Badhwar.

Both named after individual champions
in their own right, the Gary Player Classic
for boys will be at Pacific Golf Club in
Brisbane while Horton Park Golf Club on
the Sunshine Coast will host the Katherine
Hull Classic for girls.

The 17-year-old year-12 student plays off
+3 at Indooroopilly Golf Club and is again
one of the favourites. This year’s classic
could be his last as he has plans to take up
a US college scholarship next year.

It’s hard to believe the Gary Player Classic,
a 72-hole stroke play event, has been
around for more than 35 years.

It’s hard to believe the
Gary Player Classic,
a 72-hole stroke
play event, has been
around for more than
35 years.

“I am pleased to hear the tournament has
become one of the major junior events in
Australia.”
Over the years the who’s who of

14 Q Golf Online Spring 2012

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Legendary South African Gary Player,
who lent his name to the classic in the
1970s, said he was honoured to have
an Australian junior event named after
him. “Australia is like a second home to
me,” said the seven-time Australian Open
champion and nine-time major winner.

The straight-A student said he would
be studying engineering and business,
but right now he is focussed on winning
another Gary Player Classic.

www.golfqueensland.org.au

“It’s a great tournament,” said Viraat,
who won the Callaway World Junior a
few years ago. “I have played in the Gary
Player Classic three or four times now and
it’s good fun. I know all the players and
that makes it even better.”
Originally from Delhi (India), Viraat now
resides in Brisbane and attends the Kelvin
Grove State College. Renowned as a good
putter, Viraat said the rest of his golf game
was “a work in progress”.
Meanwhile, the 54-hole Katherine Hull
Classic is open to girls under the age of
18. Golf Queensland has introduced a
separate 18-20 years division; however,
the major winner will come from the
under-18 girls’ section.
One of the favourites is defending
champion Lauren Mason, who plays off +3
at Horton Park Golf Club. And that means
local knowledge just might give her a
slight advantage over the field.
Like Viraat Badhwar, this could be the last
time Lauren contests the event as she is
weighing up her options regarding a golf
scholarship in the US.
“Next year I am going to compete in
college golf in America, but at this stage I
am not sure which college I will attend,”
Lauren said. “It would be great to be able
to defend my Katherine Hull Classic title