A group of young Australian golfers made their mark on the Montrose Open this week, all five qualifying for the scratch matchplay round by recording some of the best scores in the field of 195.
Chris Akers, David Abbott, Sam Costa, Sean Underwood and Paul Sainsbury are all members of Bankstown, a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, where the club runs a youth foundation scheme for which its own fund-raising events are generously supplemented by local businesses.
The scheme was introduced by the club to retain young members and allow them to gain invaluable experience should they embark upon a career in golf.
The funding pays the boys’ club fees, competition fees, training camps and occasional trips abroad. This year they are in the UK and the Montrose Open plus next week’s Eden Tournament at St Andrews are among the venues they’re playing.
“The weather has been quite kind,” said Phil Akers who, along with Paul Sainsbury sen, are accompanying the boys.
“But we don’t have gorse back home or the kind of rough you have on your links courses.”
