Media Alert - Australia Golfing Legends Open Champions Course

11:15AM, 24 November 2008
Sandhurst Clubhouse, Thompsons Road, Sandhurst

Some of Australia’s most famous golfing legends including Billy Dunk, Wayne Grady, Peter Thomson, Graham Marsh and Frank Phillips will make golfing history today when they officially launch the Champions Course at Sandhurst Club, a homage to the champions of PGA of Australia.

The 18 hole Champions Course has each hole dedicated to one of Australia’s champion golfers.

A Highland Piper will lead the golfing legends to the tee on the first hole dedicated to Carnegie Clark, who is recognised as a founding father of the PGA of Australia with golfing legend Dan Soutar.

Carnegie Clark, a Scotsman, won the first professional tournament played in Australia at Botany in 1902.

He won the Australian PGA Championship in 1908 and the Australian Open in 1906, 1910 and 1911. Carnegie Clark is credited with introducing the Vardon overlapping grip and rubber wound golf balls to Australia.

The opening of the Champions Course is a major addition to the golfing infrastructure of Victoria and a showcase of environmental management and modern golf course design.

PGA makes Golfing History at Sandhurst

A Highland Piper will lead the champions onto the course to the first tee where they will launch the course by hitting off the first tee on a hole dedicated to Carnegie Clark, who won the PGA Championship one hundred years ago in 1908.

Recognised as one of the founding fathers of the PGA, Carnegie Clark, a Scotsman, was also credited with the introduction of the Vardon overlapping grip and rubber wound golf balls to Australia.

Max Garske, CEO of the PGA of Australia said the official commemoration of the Champions Course, where every hole is dedicated to a past PGA Champion, is a showcase of Australia’s great golfing history and characters in a contemporary setting to be enjoyed by future generations.

The commemoration of the Champions Course, where every hole displays a plaque detailing the achievements of each PGA champion, complements the establishment of the PGA National Headquarters in Victoria at Sandhurst after nearly 100 years in New South Wales.

Peter Thomson, the winner of five British Opens, including a record three in succession, in 1954, 1955 and 1956, and winner of 19 tournaments in Australasia, 26 times in Europe and once in the US will share a special moment during the commemoration tee off as the designer of the Champions Course.

Peter Thomson served as the President of the PGA of Australia for 32 years. He was elected a Member of the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1988.

Over one hundred players will commemorate the Champions Course opening today which be followed with a special dinner in the Sandhurst Club where winners will be announced and golfing legends will share their stories.

PGA Champions Playing

Hole 6 ‘Frank Phillips’

Described as “a tall Sydney professional who built an outstanding record in Australian golf in the 1950s and 1960s” in Jack Pollard’s book, Australian Golf: The Game and the Players. Phillips was rated one of the best ball strikers of his era winning the 1957 and 1961 Australian Opens. He was granted Life Membership of the PGA of Australia in 2002.

Hole 12 ‘Peter Thomson’

The designer of the Champions Course at Sandhurst, Thomson was the winner of five British Opens, including a record three in succession, in 1954, 1955 and 1956 and later adding the 1958 and 1965 titles. His victory at the Australian PGA Championship came at the Victoria Golf Club in 1967. In his career he won 19 tournaments in Australasia, 26 times in Europe and once in the US (the 1956 Texas Open) Thomson served as the President of the PGA of Australia for 32 years. He was elected a Member of the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1988.

Hole 14 ‘Bill Dunk’

An Australian sporting hero credited with setting more than 80 course records and winning over 100 tournaments in his career. Dunk won the Australian PGA Championship five times in 1962, 1966, 1971, 1974 and 1976. He represented Australia in three World Cups and won the Malaysian and New Zealand Opens. He set an Australian lowest-score record of 10 under par 60 in 1970.

Hole 15 ‘Graham Marsh’

In 1973 he became the first player to win $100,000 without going to America. In 1977 he won the World Matchplay Championship, the Heritage Classic in the US, two big events in Japan and the Lancôme Trophy in France. He was the first President of the PGA’s Tournament Players Section and he won the Australian PGA Championship in 1982.

Hole 18 ‘Wayne Grady’

Wayne Grady won the Australian PGA Championship in 1988 at Riverside Oaks and 1991 at Concord and is one of Australia’s finest golfers. His most famous victory came at the 1990 US PGA Championship. Grady had three wins in Australia, and also won PGA Tour tournaments in the US, Germany and Indonesia. He served as Chairman of the PGA Tour of Australasia before heading back to the US in 2007 to play on the lucrative US Champions Tour.

Media Enquiries

Ron Smith
Corporate Media Communications Links Living
Mobile: 0417 329 201