Sydney golf fans are in for a treat on Saturday, December 12 when Australia’s best young golfer and recently crowned Ladies European Tour Rookie of the Year, Stephanie Kyriacou, takes part in a club exhibition match at Brighton Lakes Recreation and Golf Club.
With so many PGA Tour and PGA of Australia tournaments cancelled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, golf fans have been starved of action. But Brighton Lakes Recreation and Golf Club along with Stegbauer Sports are actively doing something about that, introducing a six-hole playing exhibition featuring Kyriacou and 2018 PNG Open champion Daniel Gale, who will be partnered by Brighton Lakes Club champions Annika Rathbone and Rhys Vella.
The free community event will give spectators the opportunity to come walk the course and watch some world-class golf in the lead-up to Christmas. Adding to the fanfare, the club’s head professional Kurt Stegbauer will provide live commentary on a roving microphone, talking to players as they prepare for their shots.
“Families and children are very welcome but registration is essential as COVID-safe limits will apply,” said Stegbauer.
Kyriacou, who hails from St Michael’s Golf Club, was one of Australia’s top amateurs and exploded onto the professional scene when she won the Bonville Ladies Classic on the LET in February while still an amateur. That win gave her playing rights in Europe but, interestingly, the points did not count towards Rookie of the Year honours because she was not an LET member at the time of winning the tournament.
She turned professional, set off with her father Nick as caddie and promptly logged five top-10 finishes in nine tournaments in various parts of the world. Her last round was a stunning 63 to finish second in the Saudi Ladies International.
Kyriacou also ranked third on the tour’s Race to Costa del Sol points race behind the dominant Dane Emily Kristine Pedersen and Sweden’s Julia Engstrom across the season.
“It’s been a pretty good year for me, considering, with COVID the way it worked out,” she told Inside The Ropes, Golf Australia’s podcast, last week. “At the beginning of the year I was still an amateur waiting to go to Q-school in August. So that all flipped around.”
“Flipped around” may well be the understatement of the year.
The details of the exhibition event are below:
Date: 12th December
Time: 4pm – 6pm.
Format: 2 Person Ambrose and 2BBB
Venue: Brighton Lakes Recreation and Golf Club
Cost: FREE. Families and Children welcome
Maximum 500 people to attend. A Covid safety plan will be in place.
For more details, visit brightonlakesrgc.com.au/golf/golf-events
