By By SCOTT NOVAK / Vigilant/Argus
It may still officially be winter, however, applications are now being accepted for the 2006 Western Amateur to be held Aug. 3-6 at the Point O'Woods Golf and Country Club near Benton Harbor.
Application deadline is 5:30 p.m. on Friday, June 16.
Golfers may apply online or download an application form at www.thewesternamateur.com. Downloaded forms must be mailed. Faxed forms will not be accepted.
The Western Amateur is open to all amateur golfers with an official and verified handicap index of no more than three strokes.
Additionally, “WGA (Western Golf Association) reserved the right to invite players of national and international reputation to participate, either as exempt or non-exempt players,” according to the application.
All entries are subject to approval by the WGA.
Entry fee is $175. Applications, along with the entry fee, should be sent to 1 Briar Road, Golf, Ill. 60029. Entrants will be notified by mail when entry is received and processed.
Any entrant who withdraws prior to the June 16 deadline will be assessed a $25 processing fee. Anyone withdrawing after June 16 will not receive a refund.
The field will be made up of 156 golfers. The WGA will determine who is exempt from pre-qualifying.
Those players who are not exempt must compete in the pre-qualifying tournaments to be held on Monday, July 31 at Lake Michigan Hills near Coloma and Warren Golf Club at Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind.
The pre-qualifying tournament consists of 18 holes of stroke play.
The field will then be set at 156 players who will practice at the Point O'Woods on Tuesday, Aug. 1.
The first round of stroke play competition will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 2.
The second round will be played on Aug. 3 with the field trimmed to the low 50 scores, plus ties. There will be 36 holes of stroke play on Friday, Aug. 4 with the field cut to the “Sweet 16.”
The first two rounds of match play will take place on Saturday, Aug. 5. The semifinals and finals will be played on Sunday, Aug. 6.