Longest round of golf to tee off in Ceduna
More than 50 golfers will raise a glass of champagne in Ceduna this morning, saluting the sunrise before teeing off for the 2015 Chasing the Sun Golf Festival.
The Nullarbor Links, which proudly claims the title of the world's longest golf course, will this year host its largest field of players during the six-day tournament.
Boasting 72 holes and spanning more than 1300km, the course will take the 51 golfers on arguably one of Australia's most unusual experiences.
With the youngest player aged four and the eldest at 80, the diversity of the field is one of the tournament's most impressive features.
Every State in Australia is represented, while golfers from Vietnam, New Zealand, the US and Germany are all heading down under to contest the grand prize.
After the tournament was delayed by months because of funding issues at major sponsor Eventscorp, tour organiser Alf Caputo was overjoyed at the size and scope of the field.
"This will be without a doubt the most successful Chasing the Sun ever," he said.
"To see something like this is probably a kick for the way we've steered this tournament - a couple of times we had pretty ordinary tournaments and at one particular time we really felt we weren't getting it done."
The tournament begins with two holes in Ceduna this morning and the schedule will undoubtedly keep the 70-person entourage busy until they arrive in Kalgoorlie-Boulder on Friday.
Golfers will break up the arduous task of completing the vast course by enjoying some of the best experiences on offer across the Nullarbor.
The six-day festival is not solely focused on sport - singer-songwriter Allan Wright and renowned bush poets Marco Gliori and Murray Hartin will headline a concert at Fowler's Bay tonight.
Monday will feature a treasure hunt at Eucla Beach, with the grand prize a $1000 chunk of gold donated by Natural Gold Nuggets.
The ever elusive $10,000 hole-in-one prize is again up for grabs at Madura.
Mr Caputo said it was unlikely someone would achieve the feat this year, but the tournament was "insured" just in case.
The final two holes will be played at Kalgoorlie Golf Course on Friday to bring an end to Chasing the Sun.
Already looking to the future, Mr Caputo is excited for the exposure both the tournament and the region will receive this year, with magazine Inside Golf planning to publish the results.
"Can you believe, when the results of this tournament are put out, how good it's going to be for next year," he said.
"I don't think there's any doubt the Nullarbor Links has put the Nullarbor on the map."
A final dinner at Kalgoorlie Golf Course will feature a second concert from Wright, Gliori and Hartin on Friday night.
