BENDIGO'S pursuit of a long-awaited Country Week Shield hits off in Wednesday's opening round of the golf teams event at Victoria Golf Club.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Bendigo DGA squad takes on Peninsula in the morning and then faces Corangamite in the afternoon.
Round two on Thursday will be against Ballarat and West Gippsland at the Keysborough course.
The finale will be on Friday against Murray Darling District at Long Island Golf Club.
There are five clubs represented in Bendigo's squad of 12.
Bendigo's team is captained by Neangar Park's Phil DeAraugo.
Young gun Lucas Herbert, who will play at No.1 is vice-captain.
Herbert is ninth on the World Amateur Golf rankings.
Manager of the Bendigo DGA team, James Rogers said there is a mixture of experience and youthful enthusiasm in the line-up.
"This is the only week of the year where they play as a team," Rogers said.
"Without putting too much pressure on him and fresh from a couple of great weeks of golf in Japan, we expect Lucas Herbert will help our top-order get a few wins on the board.
"We also have Kurtis Lynch who represented Victoria in the Australian School Sports Championships, and Lex Johnstone who will play at his 32nd Country Week."
Herbert and Lynch are both studying at Bendigo Senior Secondary College through the specialist sports program.
The lead-up to the teams challenge included the Country Championships on Monday and Tuesday at the Greg Norman-designed Settlers Run Golf Club and Riversdale Golf Club.
Bendigo's team - Phil DeAraugo, Lucas Herbert, Kurtis Lynch, Anthony Masters, Tom King, Shane Muir (Neangar Park); Marcus Gill, Lex Johnstone, Hayden Nielsen (Axedale); Brent Rothacker (Bendigo); Liam Anderson (Heathcote); and Eric Barclay (Belvoir Park).
