Aaron Pike may just be the proudest man to hit the Palmerston Golf Course tomorrow when he tees it up at the MMC Northern Territory PGA Championship.

Playing the golf course he grew up on, his family home is literally on the 11th hole, Pike’s connection to the tournament has gone a step further in 2018 with his family business, MMC, coming on as the naming rights partner.

“It’s always great to be back playing where I first started,” said Pike.

“But I didn’t know what to expect. I knew the family was getting involved with the business but getting here it’s real. There are signs everywhere; the family business name is all over the place.

“I am very proud; the family have always been big supporters of the golf club, so to have the biggest event at the club sponsored by us is even more amazing.

“Every event that I go into, I want to do well but especially with the family being involved this week I want to put in a good performance.”

Now in its third year on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia, Pike explains the year-round impact the MMC Northern Territory PGA Championship has had on the local community.

“I don’t think the players realise the effect these tournaments have on the community. You don’t understand that until you are part of the community,” he added.

“People here don’t stop talking about it all year, they talk about a guy hitting a shot 12 months ago or how they walked around and watched Deyen Lawson, Daniel Fox these sorts of guys.

“Then to see them playing in the New Zealand Open or the Fiji International, people here get nostalgic and hold these guys close to their hearts.”

Being played for $150,000 the MMC Northern Territory PGA Championship also attracts Official World Golf Ranking Points.

“This isn’t probably going to be the biggest event our players compete in this year but for our club this is the biggest event of the year,” added Pike.

“To have the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia at a little place called Palmerston, just outside of Darwin, it is a great justice to the government and the people involved at the club.”

When the tournament tees off at 7.30am on Thursday morning it will be on a course that just five months ago was ravaged by Cyclone Marcus, the worst storm experienced by the region since Cyclone Tracey in 1974.

“The course lost between 500 and 600 trees, in my opinion some of those trees needed to go and it’s a blessing. But to lose that many, that quick, is always going to be a hindrance,” added Pike.

“So to clean-up and recover from that and still get the greens and fairways as good as they are, for the course to be this green, it is awesome.

“For the most part, I have nothing but praise. The new greenkeeper here, Scott Trembath, has got it looking as good as I have seen it for a very long time.”

Having battled a hip and back injury for the past 12 months, Pike is happy to be back playing in the MMC Northern Territory PGA Championship after being sidelined for the 2017 staging.

“The first year the tournament was on, I was really struggling with my body and I played it but I wasn’t ready,” added Pike.

“Last year I didn’t even have the chance to play, I caddied for Michael Sim but with the family being involved this year there was no way I wasn’t going to play.

“I wouldn’t say I am at 100 per cent, but I would say I am a hell of a lot better than what I was the last couple of times I have been here.

“I haven’t set any goals but it’s hard to come back to the golf course that you grew up playing and not expect good things. But I have to keep that in check.”

Pike will tee off in the MMC Northern Territory PGA Championship at 12.35pm tomorrow playing alongside Victorians Adam Burdett and Rory Bourke.

The MMC Northern Territory PGA Championship will be played at Palmerston Golf Course from 16-19 August 2018.

In addition to the winner’s share of the $150,000 prize purse, the champion will receive Official World Golf Ranking Points and be fully exempt onto the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia until the end of the 2019 season.