South Australia is staging a state championship for golfers with disability for the first time.

The 2022 South Australian Inclusive Championship will be held from 27-28 September at Tanunda Pines Golf Club in the heart of the Barossa Valley and the historic event has attracted a strong field.

Australia’s top ranked male and female golfers with disability Geoff Nicholas and 15-year-old Natascha Tennant are confirmed starters for the 36-hole stroke play tournament which will be played for World Ranking for Golfers with Disability points.

The competition is expected to be fierce with world No.21 Cameron Pollard among the favourites to take home the inaugural trophy, while world No.64 Lachlan Smith will also be one to watch out for.

The tournament will be played alongside the 2022 South Australian Amateur Championship as it follows the lead of professional events the ISPS HANDA Australian Open, the Vic Open, the WA PGA Championship and the WA Open, and amateur events the Tasmanian Open and the Riversdale Cup in including an inclusive championship.

“The introduction of the SA Inclusive Championship highlights golf’s inclusivity with both state championships running at the same time on the same course,” said Christian Hamilton, Golf Australia’s Senior Manager - Programs & Inclusion.

“At Tanunda Pines, athletes who are blind or have low vision, amputees, seated players with spinal cord injuries, intellectual impairments, autism and orthopaedic disabilities will all be competing together.

“Giving people the opportunity to not only play golf, but to compete at all levels of a player pathway, is something we are incredibly proud of at Golf Australia. It’s very exciting to see the opportunity grow for golfers with disability and by the end of the year every state in Australia will have held inclusive tournaments.”

Find out more about the South Australian Inclusive Championship here.