Australian Great Lonard Favourite at Castle Hill Golf Classic
Gale heads local challenge at star-studded Webex Players Series Sydney
Daniel Gale, who has hit a rich vein of form, heads the local challenge at the $250,00 Webex Players Series Sydney hosted by Braith Anasta at the picturesque Castle Hill Country Club from February 8-11.
Australian golfing great Peter Lonard, 56, once the club pro at Oatlands Golf Club, before becoming one of the country’s most successful players, is the top contender at this event. Lonard was once ranked as high as 23 on the world circuit, with wins in the US PGA and Australia.
Gale, 27, who has been playing golf since he was seven, will be joined by Castle Hill CC player Alex Edge, and previous member Lucy Harris.
Gale finished last year with a splendid victory at the 2023 Sandbelt International in Melbourne, sealing it with a hole-in-one. 
The Webex Players Series Sydney is the largest event held at Castle Hill Country Club in more than 20 years and features female and male professionals, top amateurs, and allabilities golfers.
CHCC general manager Brenden Ellam said they are thrilled to bring an Australian PGA and WPGA event to The Hills.
“There are so many golfers in this part of Sydney who cannot easily access professional golf tournaments, and it makes us so proud to be able to deliver an event of this calibre to these people and to the Hills Shire,” Ellam said. “The exposure from the broadcast will shine a spotlight on the North West of Sydney, and it will bring Castle Hill CC back as one of Sydney’s premier championship venues.
“In the 1980s, we were fortunate enough to hold two Australian PGA Championships and then four Canon Challenges in 1993-94 and 2000-01. Last November we held the Mulpha Castle Hill Country Club Legends Pro-Am.”
Ellam said that the tournament has attracted Lonard, New Zealand Open winner Brendan Jones, 2018 Order of Merit Winner Jake McLeod, recent tour winner Matthew Griffin, and Harrison Crowe. 
In the women’s competition, Sydney-siders Kelsey Bennett and Amy Chu take on a field of internationals from the USA, UK, New Zealand, France, South Korea, India, Japan, Malaysia, Cook Islands, Singapore, and Thailand.
PGA of Australia General Manager of Tournaments and Global Tour Relations Nick Dastey said: “Castle Hill has proven to be a great venue for tournament golf with a distinguished list of past cham pions.”
According to WPGA Tour of Australasia CEO Karen Lunn, the “Webex Player Series Sydney is going to be a great opportunity to see our best women and men in action together at the same time on the highquality test that Castle Hill will provide”.
The men and ladies tee it up against each other over 72 holes, with a cut after the first 36 holes. The course is set up to allow both genders to compete on a level playing field. On the weekend, 16 players, including four boys and one girl from Castle Hill CC, will compete in the junior tournament. Eight All-Ability players compete in their event. Entry is free.
