Future golf stars take on Bunbury

Australia's best junior golfers will tee off in town today in the Australian Boys’ Interstate Teams event is staged at Bunbury Golf Club.

The competition, which runs until Thursday, was first held in 1958 and has featured a who’s who of Australia’s greatest golfers.

It will follow the Australian Boys’ Amateur Championship, which started at Pinjarra Golf Club yesterday and finishes tomorrow.

Hosting both championships is a major coup for regional WA — 1988 was the last time a national event was held in the South West when Bunbury hosted the Junior Teams Championships.

The teams matches represent Australia’s premier junior amateur team golf championship.

Each State and Territory is represented by their six best players, with five contesting singles matchplay each round in a round robin format.

Queensland’s World No.19 and Australian No.1 junior Viraat Badhwar will be one of the favourites, while Cottesloe’s Australian No.3 Curtis Luck will be aiming to keep the trophy in WA.

Lucas Herbert will fly the flag for Victoria, as will Ryan Ruffels, son of tennis great Ray Ruffels.

The honour roll is full of great champions, including Adam Scott, Jason Day and Stuart Appleby, and with the winner receiving an exemption to the Emirates Australian Open there is much at stake.

Both events are run by Golf Australia in conjunction with Golf WA, with the former’s Trevor Herden the tournament director for both.

Herden is Australia’s chief tournament operator and is responsible for both the men’s and women’s Australian Opens.