Australia’s action packed golfing summer gets properly underway today with the first round of the BetEasy Masters. While the Australian Open will also see a quality International field embark upon Australia, the BetEasy Masters filed has a quality look to it, including several strong performing Americans. Boo Weekley is arguably the most well known, having won three times on the PGA Tour. He’s making the trip to Australia for the first time and is being heavily backed by the BetEasy Masters punters. Of the local hopes, the obvious onus falls on World number 2, Adam Scott. Any Scott rustiness (he hasn’t played for weeks) should evaporate over the four days. Scott is simply too good a ball striker, too experienced in Australian conditions, and too calm not to feature on the BetEasy Masters leaderboard come the business end of the tournament.
The Course
Despite an impressive list of tournament hosting duties, including the World Matchplay Championship in 2001, Melbourne’s Metropolitan Golf Club hosts the BetEasy Masters for the first time. The highly regarded sandbelt course is widely recognised as one of the greatest competitive courses in Australia. This week it aims to test a strong field using its bent grass greens and 96 bunkers to protect itself from scoring that could threaten to match the high temperatures forecasted.
The Dick Wilson and J B MacKenzie co-designed course has, in total, hosted seven Australian Opens, five Australian P.G.As, ten other Professional tournaments and in 2001 hosted the Australian Amateur Championship for the fifth time.
The Sound Bites
“It’s a neat golf course. I never played a golf course that had bunkers that ran off or the green that ran off into the bunker. It’s one of them ones that’s going to be in the Top 10 of golf courses that I ever played.” – Boo Weekley
“But like I said, there’s 120 odd other guys here who also have that dream, and I’m sure there’s going to be tough competition this week” – Adam Scott
The Defending Champion
Adam Scott – Two time defending champion after wins at Kingston Heath in 2012 and Royal Melbourne in 2013. BetEasy have him as the $3.25 favourite.
The Field
a. Notable Australians*
Stuart Appleby and Steven Bowditch – $23 Beteasy
Oliver Goss – $67 Beteasy
Geoff Ogilvy – $15 Beteasy
Geoff Ogilvy – $26 Beteasy
b. Notable Internations*
Boo Weekley (USA) – $26 Beteasy
Kyle Stanley (USA) – $34 Beteasy
Zac Blair (USA) – $26 Beteasy
The Outsiders
Michael Hendry (NZ) – $51 Beteasy
Bronson La’Cassie (AUS) – $101 Beteasy
Nathan Green (AUS) – $51 Beteasy
