BORDER golfers Frazer Droop and Zach Murray go into today’s opening round of the Australian Amateur among the form favourites in a red hot international field.
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Two stroke rounds alternating between The Lakes and The Australian Golf Course will be played today and tomorrow to determine the top 64 qualifiers for the matchplay deciders, which in the past 20 years has produced winners such as Greg Chalmers, Matthew Goggin, Brett Rumford and Kiwi 2005 US Open winner Michael Campbell.
Teenagers Droop, 18, and Murray, 17, go into the tournament off the back off an incredible start to the summer.
Yarrawonga’s Droop won the Port Phillip Amateur, effectively the Victorian amateur strokeplay title, just over a month ago, finishing at six-under and as the only player under par in each of the four rounds at the demanding Kingston Heath and Commonwealth layouts.
He was also in the final group in the Master of the Amateurs at Royal Melbourne, eventually finishing tied for eighth behind good friend Murray just over a fortnight ago.
Wodonga’s Murray followed that with a top 20 in the Lake Macquarie International last weekend behind Canadian world No. 19 Corey Conners.
Droop’s father, Evan, said the pair were among the hottest amateur golfers in Australia.
“Both go into the tournament with recent wins under their belt against the best in the country and including some of the world’s best,” he said.
“But this is an outstanding field again with some impressive international talent.
“Zach had the benefit of playing The Australian in the Open but for Frazer it is his first look at both courses.
“He played a practice round at The Lakes on Sunday and I get the feeling there will be plenty of holes where the driver stays in the bag.”
Murray, who has catapulted into the world’s top 100 amateurs after the win at Royal Melbourne, finished his preparation with a practice round at The Australian with Lucas Herbert yesterday.
The world No. 2 amateur was the best amateur at the recent Australian Open at the same course, finishing tied for 23rd behind Jordan Spieth.