 |
 |   |
|
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Multimedia Central Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities Work in Sports
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE |  |
Baddeley belongs 18-year-old amateur youngest winner of Australian Open
Posted: Saturday December 18, 1999 01:35 PM
COOLUM, Australia (Reuters) -- Leading Australian golfer Craig Parry has urged organizers of next year's U.S. Masters to issue an invitation to Australia's brilliant young amateur Aaron Baddeley. Parry, who led the 1992 Masters by two shots early on the final day before fading to finish in a tie for 13th, said he thought the teenager deserved his chance after beating the likes of Greg Norman, Colin Montgomerie and Nick Faldo to win this year's Australian Open. Australian Open winners are not guaranteed a place at Augusta National but Parry said a special case should be made for Baddeley. "I think he should be invited but I don't think he will be," Parry said. "There's no reason why he shouldn't, he played well enough to win the Australian Open and he's one of the best amateurs in the world. "If you look at Augusta National, they do like amateurs and maybe he should be getting a start, but who knows?" The 18-year-old Baddeley became the youngest Australian Open winner in the tournament's 95-year history when he triumphed at Royal Sydney in November. He then announced that he would remain in the amateur ranks for at least another year despite lucrative offers to turn professional. Parry said he hoped the organizers of the world's leading tournaments would support his decision to remain amateur and offer him wildcard invitations. "I'm sure the U.S. Golf Association knows what he can do and obviously amateur bodies around the world know how good he is," Parry said. "The U.S. Tour would obviously be keeping on eye on him as well because they don't get around with blinkers on."
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
| ||||||||||||||||||||
