Bob Tuohy, Chairman of the RACV Ladies Masters, announced today that the sixth RACV Junior Masters tournament would be played at RACV Royal Pines Resort on Monday, February 22 – three days prior to the RACV Ladies Masters.
Since the inaugural Junior Masters in 2011, the curtain-raiser to the “main event” has grown in stature and now attracts more than 50 players from Australia and overseas.
This year players from Taiwan, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia and New Zealand will join a strong contingent of Australian players.
The tournament winner will receive an invitation to play in the 2016 RACV Ladies Masters.
Golf fans who appreciate following the next wave of young stars will be certain to have their appetites whet ahead of the RACV Ladies Masters.
Last year, Coolangatta and Tweed Heads Golf Club’s rising junior star Rebecca Kay qualified to play in the RACV Ladies Masters and performed extremely well. The 17-year-old finished in a tie for sixth place – just five shots behind champion Su Oh.
“Rebecca (Kay) was the leading amateur and even had her own cheer squad from her home club,” said Fay Campbell, who helps run the tournament with Denise Engwirda.
A clear indication of the tournament’s growth and success is the fact that this year more than 35 players are on single figure handicaps.
“I’m a big fan of promoting and introducing new young talent, which I have done ever since the inaugural Ladies Masters in 1990 and it’s why we introduced the Junior Masters to engage with the wider golfing community and promote the game at grass roots level,” Mr Tuohy said.
The Ladies Masters is proudly supported by the Queensland Government though Tourism and Events Queensland, recognising the important role events play in driving visitation and generating jobs. The tournament is where Karrie Webb, Lydia Ko, Minjee Lee, Yani Tseng, Lorena Ochoa and others received their start.
Now, through his company and with the support of RACV Royal Pines Resort, junior girls have the chance to test their skills against their peers in a competitive 18-hole shootout.
For the winner, it’s an opportunity to play alongside professionals where they can observe and learn how some of the best players in the world go about their work.
For the past six years, the RACV Junior Masters has been well supported by the local community, who have the knack of spotting talent from afar.
This year should be no different.
