19TH HOLE: NEWS, VIEWS & GREAT IMAGES

THE field is set for the first edition of the Australian All Abilities Championship.

Four Australians will be among the elite 12-person field to play at Sydney’s The Lakes Golf Club during the Emirates Australian Open.

In a world first, golfers with a disability will compete on the same course, under the same tournament playing conditions, alongside many of the world’s best touring professionals competing for the Open’s time-honoured Stonehaven Cup.

The AAAC field will also feature seven Europeans and one golfer from the Dominican Republic as part of the collaboration between Golf Australia and the European Disabled Golf Association, which also aims to increase the profile of inclusive golf on the global stage.

R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers was thrilled with the Golf Australia initiative.

“We’re delighted (the tournament can) showcase the leading golfers with disability and use the Rankings For Golfers with a Disability (R4GD) in the qualification process,” Slumbers said.

“The Australian All Abilities Championship will do much to promote the inclusive nature of golf to a global audience and to demonstrate that golf is a game for all, for life.”

The players taking part in the AAAC during the Australian Open are: World No.1 Charles-Henri Quelin, of France; Spain’s Juan Postigo (No.2); Ireland’s Brendan Lawlor (No.3); Australia’s Shane Luke (No.4); Sweden’s Johan Kammerstad (No.5); England’s Ashley Harris (No.7); Germany’s Timo Klischan (No.8); Belgium’s Adem Wahbi (No.9); Manuel De Los Santos, of the Dominican Republic (No.10); and Australians Stephen Prior (No.11), Mike Rolls (No.14) and Geoff Nicholas (No.16).