Strong fields entered for Albany Classic stroke event at Albany Golf Club this weekend

More than 200 competitors will take to the greens for the 2022 Vancouver Waste Services Albany Classic at the Albany Golf Club this weekend.

The two-day event has attracted 184 men and 32 women from around WA who will play 36 holes of stroke while the nett events are Stableford.

In the men’s division leading players who will battle for the title include Kwinana’s Brett Southerden, Hartfield’s Jason Larkin and Steve Edwards, Cottesloe’s Jack Stanton and Mark Solomons, Nedlands’ Edmund Hall, Royal Fremantle’s Zac Capelli and Rockingham’s Marty Van Eldik and Jakeb Dunkley.

Last year’s champion Hayden Hopewell, a WA and national representative, will not defend his crown due to national events on the east coast.

Albany’s Jason Spinks finished runner-up to Hopewell last year and will be a leading local contender.

Royal Fremantle’s Andre Ezergailis, Royal Perth’s Graham Antczak and The Cut’s Shaun Cameron are all former winners who are among this year’s field.

Cottesloe member and former Hockeyroo Madeleine Ratcliffe will defend her title on the women’s side of the draw.

Ratcliffe is the clear favourite for this year’s event but is likely to face strong opposition from Denmark’s Marion Nelson and Bunbury’s Josephine Jones.

Players tee off from 7am on Saturday.