Reigning champions John and Steve Betland from Forbes will start as short favourites in the Atlas Copco Australia 4 Ball Best Ball Stableford at the Parkes Golf Club next Saturday.
The Betland brothers have dominated the event in recent years and they will certainly be one of the combinations to beat when golfers contest the lead up event to next Sunday’s SCT Logistics Parkes Open Tournament.
The Atlas 4BBB in both scratch and handicap divisions has attracted a strong field of pairs from across the state and interstate. The Duntry League combinations of Robert Payne and Robert Parfett and Andy Campbell and Dave Corby, as well as Asquith’s Martyn Black and Dave Morgan and the brothers James and Andrew Brownlow from the Australian Golf Club are expected to keep the titleholders honest.
Local pairings of Justin Sutton and Joey Van Opynen, and Mitchell McGlashan and Ben McNaughton have strong support, while Northbridge’s Brett Benson and Daniel Lewis will have their followers.
In the handicap section the Coast’s Dominic Romeo and Andy King are hot favourites to take home the crown they won two years ago.
Local pairings are expected to figure in the finish and heading the local challenge are Phil Bishop and Laurie Wakefield, Wayne Powter and Robert Hey and Peter Dixon and Mark Kelly.
Locals Wayne Parker and Michael Smith have been putting in the hard yards to be posted as hot favourites.
By Paul Thomas