Australian Master of the Amateurs kicks off
MELBOURNE, Australia (Jan. 7, 2013) -- The 2013 Australian Master of the Amateurs got off to a dramatic start at Royal Melbourne Golf Club today; the SRIXON AM-PRO Invitational, the team competition which opens this event, had to be decided by a play-off.
After a day of clear blue skies and a temperature nudging 30 degrees, Geelong professional Brad Lamb and Horsham club pro Mark McIntyre had to return to the 18th to decide the $10,000 purse.
Lamb and his team, visiting American amateur Rick Lamb(no relation), Terry Cleal and Peter Busch held the lead after the morning tee-offs. But after lunch McIntyre with visiting German amateur Sebastian Schwind, Greg Madigan and Warner Hendrick took it to a decider.
And it was Brad Lamb who won the day. The 35 year old has just regained his Australian tour card.
He took up the sport as a 13 year old playing alongside his father and brother on the nine hole course in the their Victorian home town, Tarrawingee near Wangaratta. Lamb turned pro in 2000 and played the Nationwide tour in 2008. Over the last few years he has mixed playing with teaching at the Barwon Valley Golf Range. The new tour card and today’s prize-money will help him spend more time on his game!
Defeated today, but Mark McIntyre knows the feeling of success in this event having taken home the winners cheque in 2010.
Tomorrow it’s over to the amateurs: 54 elite players from 11 countries; among the world number 4 and a 14 year old who later this year will become the youngest player to tee off in the US Masters at Augusta.
They tee off from 8.30 in the morning, the first of four rounds to decide the 2013 Australian Master of the Amateurs ….the temperature won’t be quite as high as today, but the competition among these very talented golfers promises to be very hot… and to see them in action at one of the world’s best golf clubs, Royal Melbourne, it won’t cost a cent.
ABOUT THE Master of the Amateurs
The Master of the Amateurs, a 72-hole medal play
Championship,
has rapidly become one of the
elite championships in amateur golf. Like The
Masters, the champion
receives a Green Jacket. Contestants
participate in the first round of the
championship with professional golfers in a
unique Am-Pro Invitational.
The Master of the Amateurs winner gets an
invitation to the Porter
Cup in the U.S. Likewise the winners of those
two tournaments receive invitations to the
next Master of the Amateurs tournament.
A qualifying round (see tournament
website for date and handicap requirement)
allows
three non-exempt players to earn invitations
into the prestigious field.
View Complete Tournament Information