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Peter Fowler
Australian golf stalwart Peter Fowler will headline the
City of Dunedin Legends Pro-Am at the Otago Golf Club later
this month.
Fowler is among 51 professionals who have confirmed their
entries for the inaugural $30,000 tournament at the
Balmacewen course on February 26 and 27.
Organisers planned to have only 40 professionals, each
playing with three amateurs, but have been pleasantly
surprised to attract the extra interest.
All of the professionals will be allowed to play in the
two-round tournament but the number of amateurs will be
capped at 120, so some professionals will play in groups by
themselves.
Fowler turned 50 in the middle of last year, making him
eligible for senior tournaments around the world.
The New South Welshman turned professional in 1977 and has
nine tournament wins, including the 1983 Australian Open, the
1993 New Zealand Open and the 1993 BMW International Open on
the European Tour.
Other high-profile Australian golfers confirmed for the
Balmacewen tournament include Rodger Davis, a two-time winner
of the New Zealand Open, former European Tour professional
turned commentator Ossie Moore and Randall Vines, who won
back-to-back Australian PGA titles in the 1970s and three
European Tour events.
New Zealanders in the hunt include 1976 Open champion Simon
Owen, Otago's Jim Lapsley and Wanaka club professional Garth
Domigan.
Sir Bob Charles will play as a special guest, in a team
including former All Blacks Sir Brian Lochore and Andy Haden,
and broadcaster Murray Deaker.
Many of the professionals will also compete in three senior
tournaments in Queenstown preceding the Dunedin event.
Organisers of the Balmacewen tournament hope to raise $20,000
for the Otago Hospice.
- The Otago Daily Times is running a competition to
allocate three places to amateurs in its team for the City of
Dunedin Legends Pro-Am.
- New Zealand golfer Michael Campbell continued his recent
dismal form at the Dubai Desert Classic yesterday, sitting
second-to-last after the first round, NZPA reported.
In a round that included three double bogeys, four bogeys and
a birdie, Campbell carded a 9-over 81.
Danny Lee was the best of the New Zealanders in the field,
with a two-over 74, while Mark Brown finished with a six-over
par 78.
Defending champion Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, shares
a six-way lead with fellow Briton Stephen Dodd, Swede Alex
Noren, South African Charl Schwartzel, India's Jeev Milkha
Singh and Italy's Edoardo Molinari, on 68.
