AMHERST, N.S. — The highlight of the season at the Amherst Golf Club is returning Aug. 21 and 22 with some of the region’s top pro and amateur golfers participating in the Amherst Open.
More than 130 golfers are expected to take to the course for the two-round tournament that saw Oshawa, Ont. native Matt Shubley take the pro championship last year and Brodie Ward of Anderson’s Creek on P.E.I. win the amateur title.
“We’re expecting another strong field this year,” Amherst club pro Michael Archibald said. “We’re not sure how many pros are coming this year because there was a bit of a change in the pro schedule with events before and after ours. We’re still hoping for a strong contingent.”
Last year, Shubley fired identical rounds of 71 to win the pro division by five strokes over former Amherst pro Steve Toombs and Josh Landine, while perennial Amherst Open champion Kevin Dugas was fifth.
Ward edged 2018 Amherst club champion Mark Gould and the 2016 champion Matt Cormier by two strokes to win the amateur title.
Archibald is expecting a strong local field, including Tom Burge, who recently claimed the 2019 Amherst club championship with a three-stroke win over Cormier.
Archway Insurance and Tantramar Chevrolet GMC Buick Ltd. are back as major sponsors of the Amherst Open while a number of other firms have come on board as sponsors as well.
A $5,000 hole-in-one prize will be available on each day sponsored by the Canadian Tire Gas Bar and the Amherst Golf Club’s junior program.
As well, Archibald is working on putting together a longest drive competition after Day 1.
The entry deadline is Aug. 14.
