Bring it on: Rich River Golf Club will host the 2023 New South Wales Open. Photo: Steve Huntley
Photo by
Steve Huntley
The New South Wales Open will take place in the Murray River region for the first time after Rich River Golf Club (RRGC) was announced as the host of the prestigious golf tournament.
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Rich River will host the tournament from Thursday 16 to Sunday 19 in March 2023, marking the first time the club will host in the competition’s 92-year history.
The biggest event on the Golf NSW calendar will take place on Rich River’s East Course, with a field of Australia’s top golfers set to descend on Moama to stake their claim for the minimum $400,000 purse.
It’s a ground-breaking addition to the local golfing calendar, and RRGC chief executive officer Shane Gloury said he was thrilled to bring the PGA Tour of Australasia round to the region.
“We were absolutely rapt when we found out,” Gloury said.
“It’s going to be great for our club, great for our region and we can’t wait to host it.
“I’ve often said we have some great courses in the Murray River region, and we’ve got plenty of accommodation in Echuca Moama.
“We firmly believe we can host a major event. We thought we might be able to host the Ladies Open as it’s previously been hosted regionally, while the Men’s Open has been played in Sydney.
“About a month ago we got a call out of the blue asking about bringing the NSW Open to Rich River.
“It just went from there. Golf NSW is keen, they understand our region has been devastated by flood.
“They felt as though it was the right time to provide the opportunity, and the NSW government and Destination NSW are fully supportive of that. We’re very grateful for the opportunity.”
Swing and a hit: Rich River has previously hosted major events such as the PGA Associate National Championship and PGA Legends Tour. Photo: Steve Huntley.
Photo by
steve Huntley.
The Open is poised to be the biggest tournament in Rich River’s history, and Gloury said it would be an exciting opportunity to showcase the club and the region.
“In all reality, the NSW Open is the biggest event we can host,” he said.
“It’s a big state championship; the next rung up is national championships, i.e. the Australian Open.
“An event like the NSW Open is as big as it gets for us; we’ve never hosted it nor has it come down to the region.”
As for the calibre of competition, a glance at the tournament’s honour board reads as a who’s who of Australian golf, including four-time winner Greg Norman.
“Greg Norman’s won it four times, Ian Baker-Finch, Peter Thompson, Kel Nagle, so some of the very best golfers the country has produced have won it,” Gloury said.
“The tournament has been played on some of the finest golf courses in New South Wales, so for Rich River to be included in that list and for us to have the opportunity in 2023 is an honour and something we’re really proud of.”
The Open is the latest major event to land at Rich River after the club previously hosted the PGA Legends Tour event and a PGA Associate National Championship round.
