RecruitR sponsors 2010 Runge Mining Town Series
The 2010 Runge Mining Town Series has been officially launched today at Rockhampton Golf Club. In it's third year, the Runge Mining Town Series has quickly become one of the most highly anticipated swings of the QLD Sunshine Tour. In 2009, Eddie Barr carded an amazing 30 under par for the 8 rounds involved in last year's series, edging out Michal Wright and Justin Maker to take home the $7,000 winners bonus.
As Managing Director of Runge, Tony Kinnane mentioned, Runge is very happy to once again be providing the mining town communities with this great golfing spectacle , said: "We are excited to support the Runge Mining Towns Pro-Am Series for the third year in a row and to be part of bringing together Australia's leading Golf Professionals. I am also delighted that the series attracted support from our partners Leica Geosystems - Mining Systems, Johnston Rorke Chartered Accountants, Xstract Mining Consultants, and RecruitR. The series seems to be going from strength to strength, best of luck again to all participating PGA Professionals."
The 2010 Runge Mining Towns Series will not only give professionals more than $13,000 in additional prizemoney, it was will also take a slightly new direction. This year, professionals will play for a birdie bonus with the player who has the most birdies in each round of the series receiving a further cash bonus of $200. Running in conjunction with the Birdie Bonus, for each birdie the winner of the birdie bonus makes, the Runge Mining Town Series will donate $20 to RACQ Central Queensland Rescue. (www.cqrescue.com.au)
Continuing on its vision to give back to the communities which Runge has serviced for more than 30 years, the series will also include the inaugural Runge Ladies Masters, to be played at Clermont Golf Club on Tuesday 1st June. Given that a majority of the activities in the mining towns are male oriented, Executive Officer of the Queensland PGA Dominic O'Brien believed it was imperative to provide the lady members of the community with an golfing event to remember. "In many ways the women of the mining towns are the unsung heroes and we hope this event will show our appreciation to their contribution to the mining industry." The Runge Ladies Masters will involve the women being given coaching from leading ALPG professionals in the morning, with the ladies then playing in a Pro-Am with the male PGA professionals in the afternoon.(The Ladies Runge Masters will not count towards the professional's series score)
Further to the new initiatives, the series has also been increased from eight to ten rounds, with the inclusion of the $25,000 Xstrata Glenden Pro Am who will play host to the final two rounds of the series. This year the professionals will also be given the advantage of removing their worst round (to par), from their series total. After trialling this new format in the FKP Peregian Springs Series last August, series coordinator Vaughan Rostron believes it will have a great effect on the excitement leading into the final round. "It gives the professionals the ability to have one average round and not feel like they have knocked themselves out of the series, all leading towards a bunched leaderboard heading into the final event at Glenden"
Below is the schedule of events in the 2010 Mining Town Series:
Wed 19th - Thurs 20th May Blackwater Mineworkers and Country Club Pro Am $17,500
Sat 22nd - Sun 23rd May Minerva Mine Emerald Pro Am $20,000
Wed 26th - Thurs 27th May Anglo American Middlemount Pro Am $17,500
Sat 29th - Sun 30th May BMA Dysart Pro Am $17,500
Sat 5th - Sun 6th June Xstrata Glenden Pro Am $25,000
Players must play all of the above 10 rounds to be eligible for the series prize
Each player will get to remove their worst score (to par) from their overall score
1st Prize $7,500 min
2nd Prize $2,000 min
3rd Prize $1,000 min
With many of the professionals looking for the financial boost to help fund overseas Tour Schools and One Asia Tournaments later in the year, the competition is sure to be fierce. As last year's rookie of the year Corey Gerrard mentioned, the Mining Towns is one of the most enjoyable sections of the QLD Sunshine Tour. "When you combine the series with great people, good golf courses and a passion for golf like no other, the Mining Towns is definitely one of my favourite parts of the tour. Like many others, I am really looking forward to getting back there this year and hopefully putting myself in a position to take out the series."