Weather fine, track good for PGA tussle
‘‘ GIVEN ALL THE CIRCUMSTANCES WE HAVE TO BE PRETTY HAPPY WITH THE WAY EVERYTHING HAS COME THROUGH IT.
JOHN HALTER
GOLF: New-year rain at City Golf Club has been as scarce as eagles and albatrosses but it will prove no dampener on the scene for next week’s Coca-Cola Queensland PGA Championship.
The 2019 championship begins next Thursday when the best credentialled 156-player player field yet assembled at City begins its four-day battle for the historic Charles Bonham trophy.
This year marks the 10th staging of the tournament at City Golf Club since its move to Toowoomba in 2009.
Weather conditions have again proved testing for course superintendent John Halter and his 10-member ground staff team as they work overtime to have the course in championship condition next Thursday morning.
But despite little or no rain being registered at the course during January and baking February conditions prevailing Halter is confident players and spectators will find the course up to par.
“It’s been a constant battle, but thankfully we received 13mm of rain midway through last week and it’s turned the course around quite a bit,” Halter said yesterday.
“Unfortunately the hot weather has returned this week and the challenge now is to keep hold of the moisture we have received.
“It’s a burning heat we are experiencing this summer and it does takes its toll when you are trying to prepare a course for a championship event.
“But we have had some positive feedback from visitors about the course conditions and given all the circumstances we have to be pretty happy with the way everything has come through it.”
Players looking to qualify for the final championship field have first use of the course on Monday which kick starts seven days of constant golf on the par-70 layout.
Pro-Am events follow on Tuesday and Wednesday before the tournament gets under Thursday morning.
Last year’s championship was won by West Australian Daniel Fox with a score of 18 under par and Halter said conditions point to another lowscoring event next week.
“We are not mowing fairways down as low as we usually do because of the heat but they should still provide plenty of run,” Halter said.
“The heat is predicted again for next week but I don’t think the greens will be any quicker than in previous years.
“It’s a great field lining up this year and hopefully it will be another good week for all.”