Tournaments such as the Papua New Guinea Open play a crucial role in exposing local players to a higher level of competition, Australia golfer Daniel Fox says.
The 41-year-old Fox, who won the Queensland PGA Championship in February, is a regular at tournaments across the Pacific.
Australia golfer Daniel Fox is hoping to add the PNG Open title to his Queensland PGA Championship win in February. Photo: PGA of Australia
This week, the West Australian is competing at the PNG Open for the fifth time and was a top-ten finisher at the Royal Port Moresby Golf Club in each of the past three years.
He said tournament's such as the Morobe Open, PNG Open and Fiji International were a valuable opportunity for local amateurs to mix with professional players.
"Last week we had Mark Gibson up here and he was doing some coaching for some of the local juniors in Lae last week and then obviously we're here playing (the PNG Open), it's a big tournament," he said.
"I think it just sort of opens their eyes up when you see people that aren't necessarily just from the (Pacific) Islands playing golf that they're used to - they obviously have their own Pacific Games and stuff like that.
"But when you get a mix of people from Australia to come and play tournaments I think they just see an extra level that they perhaps wouldn't have earlier."
The 10th hole during the 2014 PNG Open at the Royal Port Moresby Golf Club. Photo: Facebook / PNG Golf Open
Fox said he was looking forward to playing alongside PNG amateur Robin James during the opening two rounds on Thursday and Friday.
James is one of 14 local amateurs in a field which also includes Vanuatu amateur Terence Coleman, PNG professional Nelson Gabriel and Fiji pro Sam Lee.
