A stellar field including reigning adidas Pro-Am Series Order of Merit winner Matt Millar, 2021 Order of Merit leader Tim Hart, former European Tour winner Sam Brazel and former US PGA TOUR winner Andre Stolz will contest the year’s richest pro-am to date but there are three participants with close connections to the Rockhampton community.

Brothers Terry and John Price grew up with the tournament’s 15th and 16th holes as an extension of their backyard and Terry’s son Samuel has made the trip up from the Gold Coast to resume his professional playing career.

Terry and John have been paired together for the opening round – “Why would I want to play with Sam? He hits it 150 metres past me!” – with the elder of the two grateful for the opportunity to play and hoping a troublesome shoulder will hold up for at least 18 holes.

“My shoulder’s absolutely wrecked. I’m going to try and get around but it’s just great to be here to be part of it,” Terry explained.

“The club had its 100th year last year and I was going to come up and speak at the celebrations but because of COVID they had to can it which was a shame.

“It’s just great that they’ve got a golf tournament up here of this size. You have a look at who’s playing – Matt Millar and all these guys – it’s a good field.

“John hasn’t played for a while but the club was nice enough to give us a few starts.

“It’s so long ago now I can barely remember what it was like when we were kids but the course is much better now, they’ve done a great job.

“All the committees, volunteers and members they’ve had over the years have been passionate and the place looks good.”

One of only two sets of brothers from Australia to have played The Open Championship – Tasmania’s Clyde and Bruce Pearce in 1911 are the only others – Terry says that he and John’s beginnings in the game were as humble as they come.

“The reason I got involved initially was to try and make a quid,” Terry added.

“We’d be down at the footy club selling the doubles and working the scoreboard and a mate of mine said to me, ‘You know if we go and drag those old guys’ bags around you get $20, a packet of chips and a Coke.

“I was like, ‘How long’s this been going on!’

“That’s the reason behind it and it was right across the road. Then it’s a natural progression to start having a whack from there.”

The last time that Terry and Samuel played in the same tournament was the 2019 Queensland PGA Championship in Toowoomba and the five-time PGA Tour of Australasia winner is happy to step aside for the next generation.

“My tournament days are numbered now so it’s probably good that he’s back playing,” said Price, who was treated for prostate cancer last year and turned 60 in December.

“It’s been a bit of a challenging time for all of these guys but there are people doing it a lot worse than not playing golf for a while.

“I don’t have any of these Draconian ideas of limiting equipment to keep these young guys in check.

“They’re better athletes than we were so let them have their time.

“They’ll be broken down like me soon enough.”

The first groups tee off from 6.50am on Thursday morning with Terry and John Price to tee off from the first tee at midday. Sam has been drawn to play with 2018 Order of Merit winner Brett Rankin from the 10th tee at 12.10pm.