Spalding Park Open will bring the sport’s biggest and best talent to Geraldton over the three-day tournament

Some of Australia’s golfs biggest and best names will be in Geraldton next weekend for the Spalding Park Open event competing for $50,000. The event turns the Mid West city into the country’s golfing hub, with competitors coming from all over for a shot at the grand prize. Over the three-day event, the golfers take on the 54-hole event for the 49th annual competition. Local competitor Joel Winkley said the event made Geraldton a golf landmark each year. “It’s a premiere event for Geraldton as far as golf’s concerned, it will be a really good field of pros and amateurs,” he said. “The 54 holes is exciting, because it has got the three days and it will come to the top at the end of it.” The open draws a crowd every year to watch the top talent, with familiar faces and young stars coming for a shot at glory in Geraldton. “The events got some of the pros that have been playing in it for decades,” Winkley said. “Some of the best up-and-coming pros around Australia will make their way across.” While people travel from all over to compete, Winkley said that being a local helped as he had been competing for the past 22 years. “It is certainly beneficial playing on your home course, but there will definitely be a good level of high class amateurs that are coming from Perth for the event, and some other locals,” he said. While the event is 54 holes, it will cut down to the best performing golfers at the 30-hole mark, which is why getting a strong start is important for competitors. “You want to get off to a strong start, but you can only play shot by shot, just staying in the moment and not getting too far ahead of yourself is key,” Winkley said. For such a big event, the course must be in best shape, with Winkley saying that the work has gone in to make sure the Green street course is looking good for the pros. “The greens keeper there’s got the greens running as good as I’ve seen leading up to a open in the past 10 years. . . the course is going to be in immaculate condition,” he said.