Keen to bag yourself a job?
If you’re 14 or over, know your golf and fancy a pleasant stroll with a potential PGA Tour star in Wellington in October, then read on.
There’s no catch. Organisers of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, to be hosted by Royal Wellington from October 26-29, need up to 40 more volunteer caddies to fill their roster for the 120-strong field.
New Zealand PGA board member Andrew Whiley, caddie master for the country’s three big tournaments this year, said the only requirement was a knowledge of the game and a couple of years playing experience.
‘‘What we really look at is people who are going to love being part of a world-class event. A lot of people don’t realise how big this is in the world of golf,’’ he said.
With the powerhouse backing of the Masters Tournament who pour in several million dollars, this is big. It’s run like a major, with live TV coverage beaming around the world, and this is New Zealand’s first time as host.
Top amateurs from Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea and China vie for the golden ticket to the winner: direct entry to both The Masters at Augusta National and The Open at Carnoustie next year.
Last year’s winner in South Korea, Curtis Luck of Australia, went on to be second amateur at The Masters in April and is performing with credit on the PGA Tour after turning pro. Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama was the original poster boy, winning in 2010 and 2011.
Being an amateur tournament there’s no payment for caddies, but trundlers are permitted so there’s no lugging a heavy bag around 72 holes for four days. Only 10-15 of the top players are expected to bring their own caddies, and the rest get allocated one of Whiley’s recruits.
Preference would be given to caddies who were available for all six days, including two practice rounds, Whiley said, as would those who could speak a second language and potentially be allocated players from Japan, China or Korea.
Volunteers can register on Royal Wellington’s website: royalwellington.com.