PGA Trainees from across the nation have converged on Coral Cove to compete for the 2014 Bundaberg Motor Group Queensland PGA Trainee Championship.

Now in its fourth year at Coral Cove Golf Club, the tournament will see one of the largest and strongest fields to compete in recent years.

Consisting predominately of Queensland based Trainees, the event has also enticed many Professionals from interstate who have all travelled in the hope of holding aloft the Carnegie Clark Cup and sharing in the $35,000 prize purse.

Interstate players to watch this week include Deyen Lawson who recently took out the NSW/ACT PGA Trainee Championship and currently the number one ranked PGA Trainee in the country, Jamie Hook who has had wins in both Trainee and Choice Hotels PGA Pro-Am Series events, 2014 Rich River Championship winner Taylor Cooper, not to mention last year’s runner up Richie Gallichan.

The strongest Queensland contenders include defending champion Dale Walker, 2013 Order of Merit winner Rick Coleman as well as Paul Griffiths who won the Pampling Plate match play title earlier this year.

Griffith hopes to be one of the few PGA Trainees that can win both the state match play and championship titles in the same year.

"Winning both wasn’t necessarily something I was thinking of at the beginning of the year though in my first trip to the Coral Cove, I love the layout and only hope I can put myself in a position to win come Friday afternoon," said Griffith.

The Coral Cove community will look to first year Trainee and local hope Ryan Norton who took out the amateur title last year, and will be looking to go one better in 2014 to win his first tournament as a Professional.

"It is great to be home and I hope I can take advantage of being able to stay in my own bed for our state championship" said Norton.

The unique par-6, 12th hole at Coral Cove has already created interest amongst competitors. Oxley Golf Club Trainee Matt Douglas talked about the variety of ways you can play it.

"It will all depend on the wind. It is the type of hole that with no breeze you will have a realistic chance of eagle if you can hold the green for your third, though given the raised green, if you miss it in the wrong spot you can really pay the price."

Not only will the Trainee Professionals be competing in the tournament proper, they will also be looking to leave their mark on the region by conducting a number of community activities throughout the week.

A free ladies clinic on Tuesday at 3:30pm, a visit to the local children’s ward at Bundaberg Base Hospital as well as a free junior clinic on Wednesday at 3:30pm will provide the ability to create more awareness of the game of golf in the area.

The event will also host a number of local amateur players including Nicholas Schneider, Ben Davey and Cameron McFarlene who will all be hoping to match it with some of the country’s leading PGA Trainees.

The first round will commence tomorrow morning at 6:50am in what is to be predicted to be sunny and calm conditions with many players looking to make the most of the scoring opportunities.

The Coral Cove Golf Club welcomes and encourages spectators to witness some of the next generation of PGA Professionals.