2015 will see the world’s leading PGA Trainee Professionals descend upon the Ballarat Golf Club to compete for a share of the $55,000 in prizemoney available at this year’s PGA National Futures Championship.

Being staged for the 2nd year in succession in Ballarat from October 20-23, the Futures Championship holds the title as the richest Trainee event in the world, bringing the most talented Trainees from around the globe and across Australia to pursue the title of Australian Trainee Champion.

Firm favourites for the tournament include both last year’s winner and recent Queensland PGA Trainee Championship winner, Taylor Cooper from the Manly Golf Club in New South Wales and Deyen Lawson, who currently holds the lowest scoring average amongst all Australian Trainees. 

Whilst both Cooper and Lawson are expected to challenge for the title, other Trainees will also have valid aspirations.  Recent winner of the New South Wales Trainee Championship, Braden Becker from Western

Australia is currently in excellent form and his final round 8-under, sixty-four in New South Wales proves that Becker has the ability to go low under pressure.  In addition, Victorian Trainee Ryan Laird is likely to be a strong competitor for the title after his victory in the Western Australian Trainee Championship.

Once again the tournament welcomes international competitors from Great Britain & Ireland, New Zealand and South Africa, with the winner from each respective country’s Trainee Championship invited to the event, thereby creating a virtual World Trainee Championship.  Making the trip in 2015 include Kiwi, Jonathon Ratcliffe, South African Johannes Smit and Jack Harrison from the PGA of Great Britain and Ireland, who returns for the 2nd consecutive year.  With 2 victories from overseas Trainees in the past 6 years it would not be a surprise to again see an international push for victory in the final round.

As one of only two Australian golf championships (alongside the PGA Professionals Championship) where males and females compete side by side for both prize-money and a national championship the event provides a unique prospect.  Queensland Trainee Ali Orchard, who played brilliant golf to capture the 2015 Pampling Plate will be looking to defy the odds to become the first female winner of the Futures Championship, Orchard has shown a number of times throughout the year that she is the competitive equal of her male peers.   

Not only will the winner of Futures walk away with first-place prizemoney of almost $10,000, they will also secure an entry into the 2016 Australian PGA Championship, with the chance to compete alongside some of Australia’s best domestic and international Professionals.

The support of both the Ballarat Golf Club and the local community has been vital in the long-term success of the event, with feedback from competitors universally positive in 2014.  For event sponsorship opportunities, please contact Victoria at the Ballarat Golf Club.