Veteran Peter O’Malley and major rookie Nick Cullen will spearhead a 91-strong Australian assault on the New Zealand Open golf championship starting on Thursday.
With New Zealanders Mark Brown and Michael Hendry holding down first and third spots on the Australasian Order of Merit and Australian Open champion Adam Scott taking a breather, hopes are high for a local triumph.
But O’Malley, a former New Zealand Open champion, and Cullen are equally hopeful of crashing the party.
“I wouldn’t come here if I didn’t think I could compete,” said 47-year-old O’Malley.
“I do feel old up against all these young guys who hit it so far, but I know what the course is going to do.”
Having won the New Zealand PGA Championship on the same Clearwater course being used this week, O’Malley believes it suits his game, particularly if the wind gets up.
“I am looking forward to being back here,” he said.
“I do like the wind normally because I can control the ball better.
“I don’t think I have played here when there’s not been any wind and I play better when there is a bit about.”
Cullen, who made his major debut at this year’s British Open at Royal Lytham, is a warm favourite to win the event.
The 28-year-old is the top-ranked Australian in the 144-man field and returns after finishing fifth last year.
This year Cullen has enjoyed his first professional win at the Indonesia Open, qualified for the Open and also played the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
“It was massive last year for me because I came fifth. It guaranteed me my card and it got me into the Masters the next week, where I made a bit more money and finished top-25 on the Order of Merit,” he said.
“That has really helped me this year. It got me into second stage US Qualifying School and into the Dunhill Links so I have got great memories from here and really positive thoughts.”