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The Finnish Amateur Championship, or more familiarly the Erkko Trophy, collects a very tough domestic player table setting for the Helsinki Golf Club in Tali on August 6-8.
The first trophy donated by Eljas Erko was played at the Helsinki Golf Club in 1966. The winners of the traditional competition include several current European Tour winners.
This year, all of Finland’s best amateur players are involved, and when international competitive golf is on hiatus, the Erkko Trophy has become one of the main events of the year. A large proportion of Finland’s top young players study at a university in the United States, and the corona pandemic has also caused many of them to stay in Finland in the autumn, or at least to delay their departure across the Atlantic.
In addition to the Finns, 16 foreign players will take part in the three-round competition. There are a total of 136 players.
In the women, Kiira Riihijärvi will defend her victory last year, who already took the beating game SM-gold in July. The young woman, who graduated from the University of Tampa in the spring, is by far the 22nd best Finn in the world list of amateurs.
A large group of national team members, of whom Krista Junkkari was the closest to threatening Riihijärvi at the Finnish Championships, will also register for the victory battle in Tali. In addition, Emilia Tukiainen and Anna Backman, who already won the competition at the age of 14 in 2013, have shown good financial condition throughout the summer. Lithuania’s Gilé Bité Starkuté, whose +3.5 handicap is one of the best for women, probably also has a say.
In men, Erko’s winner will change with certainty, as Eemil Alajärvi currently plays as a professional. Rasmus Karlsson, who won the Finnish Championship gold in July, Ilari Saulo, the long-time successor, and national team leaders Veeti Mähönen and Jonatan Jolkkonen could be added to the strongest favorites. Markus Luoma, who plays at his home field in Tali, was close last year, and has played steadily for sure this summer.
Also interesting to watch are Estonian players Carl Hellat and Kevin Jegers, who have highlighted their successes on the Finnish Tour last week.
The race starts on Thursday at 7.30 with the men’s starts, the women will start from 12.50. The top 36 men and 18 women will make it to Saturday’s final round.
Source: Bulletin