The Orange talent is being tipped as one of the favourites to win this year’s Men's NSW Senior Championship.

To be conducted at Bathurst over three days, the field of 145 amateur senior male golfers will put their skills to the test in the 54-hole event.

Golf NSW events manager Olivia Wilson believes Payne, a former Golf Australia senior team representative, will be hard to beat.

But Wilson pointed out the Duntryleague golfer will face stiff opposition, with the likes of multiple Australian Men’s Senior Amateur Championship victor Stefan Albinski in the field.

"Rob Payne, I'd say he will be the one to beat given the location of the event and his experience on that golf course, it is a huge advantage,” Wilson said.

“But is saying that, last year’s winner Stefan Albinski, he’s won the Australian Seniors and he’s won every state [title] as well.

“He hadn’t won New South Wales until last year, that was the one he hadn’t won, so it finished the circuit of all of them for him.

“So those two would be the favourites, but there’s heaps of good players. If either of those two slip up in the first couple of rounds, there will be plenty of guys there ready to pounce.”

Host club Bathurst is well represented with 16 golfers to take part in the event for those aged 55 and over, while players from Orange, Dubbo and Mudgee will also fly the Central West flag.

The event, which Bathurst Regional Council worked with the Bathurst Golf Club to secure, has also attracted New Zealand’s Michael Baltrop and William Houng-Lee from Malaysia.

"It's a really strong field and everyone I have spoken to is super excited to be coming to Bathurst, a lot of them have been playing practice rounds in Bathurst,” Wilson said.

"We've had a couple of late entries, so I think we are up to 145 guys now.

“Bathurst Council are not only supporting this event, but we also have regional qualifiers for our New South Wales Open, which is the premier event we won and a professional event.

“That qualifier will be played on the back of the Bathurst Open.

“Bathurst Council are very proactive in trying to bring these sort of tournaments to the town, which is good.”

Play gets underway at 7am.