Bolstered by a higher than normal intake of first year Associates in the Membership Pathway Program, 66 players will contest Monday’s 36-hole stroke play qualifier at Caboolture Golf Club before the top 24 advance to the match play section starting Tuesday.

Now in its 19th year, the event is named and sponsored by PGA TOUR Champions Professional Rod Pampling and continues to grow thanks largely to the Pampling family’s support, including the significant prizemoney that they have donated for almost two decades.

“We love watching the event from a distance with the live scoring,” said Pampling.

“Knowing we have helped out these PGA Associates playing for some extra prizemoney in a format they don’t play too often is very satisfying.

“It will be great to see if Dylan Gardner can go back-to-back this year however we understand there are some quality Year 1 Associates in the system this year.”

The most prominent of those is Wright, who among his eight wins to date boasts the recent NSW/ACT Associate Championship at Tura Beach Country Club.

In Year 3 of the MPP at Pelican Waters Golf Club on the Sunshine Coast, Gardner too has a solid year, recently winning the Woodford PGA Open Match with a 36-hole total of 15-under par.

Given his success at Caboolture last year it is a timely confidence boost as he seeks to go back-to-back.

“This is my favourite event of the year,” said Gardner, pictured with Marge Pampling.

“This is my third year playing the event and no doubt this will be the toughest to win with the quality of players in the field.”

Runner-up in the Pampling Plate 2021 and the Queensland PGA Associate champion in 2022, Bailey Arnott was top-10 at the NSW/ACT Championship two weeks ago and will be another of the fancied chances.

With improvements both on and off the golf course, Caboolture Golf Club General Manager, Trent Scaysbrook, is again excited to welcome PGA Associates to the club.

“We are thrilled to again have this prestigious event at our club,” said Scaysbrook.

“We will have a number of members getting involved and of course Rod’s mother Marge adds that special touch by providing food and coffee for the players.

“We have renovated 12 of our bunkers and the course is looking in great shape.”

All players will contest the 36-hole Coca-Cola Pampling Plate qualifying that doubles as the Pro-Am supported by the Caboolture Golf Club, players vying for a share of $5,000 in prizemoney.

The top 24 players will then compete for $10,000 in a match play format over three days with the final to take place on Thursday.

This year will mark the first time that live scoring will be in operation.

Click here to stay across all the matches as they play out.