Speechley, Wikana shine in NSW

Alyssa Wikana and Brock Speechley
Alyssa Wikana and Brock Speechley

YET another in the long line of champion young golfers to come out of New South Wales surfaced in last month’s Jack Newton Junior Golf NSW All Schools Junior Championship played at the Forster-Tuncurry Golf Club on the North Coast of the state.

At just 12-years of age Castle Hill High School Year Seven student Alyssa Wikana gave her rivals a golfing lesson, bolting away with the event, winning by an amazing nine shots in an event for pupils from Years Seven, Eight And Nine.

Likewise the boys’ championship produced another golfer to watch when Sutherland Shire Christian School’s Brock Speechley led from wire-to-wire to claim that title.

Almost 100 juniors played the tournament on the scenic Forster course, which borders the famous One-Mile Beach…and it was these two regular JNJG competitors who showed the benefit of those previous tournament experiences to prevail in the 36-hole events.

Speechley, a Year 9 CIS student, fired rounds of 72-70 (+10) on the par-66 layout to win the event by a commanding six shots.

Sharing second place at +16 was Keegan Phillips (Gorokan HS), Matthew Hicks (Champagnant Catholic College) and Jacob Dundas (West Wallsend HS).

Dundas was particularly impressive, with his rounds of 76-72 giving him the Boys Year Eight title.

In the Boys Year Seven division, Lachlan Barr (Ulladulla HS) recorded rounds of 78-73 to hang on for a three-stroke victory.

The Nett Champion was Hugo Currie (Mater Dei Catholic College Wagga Wagga), with the 19 handicapper finishing the event at -9 to claim a one-shot win.

He defeated Year Seven Nett Champion Oliver Gilson (Callaghan College Waratah), Year Eight Nett Champion Jack Toyne (Gorokan HS) and Year Nine Nett Champion Will Flannigan (Marist College North Sydney) who all played sensational golf over the 36 holes and beat their handicaps convincingly.

Still it was Girls Champion Wikana, at just 12-years-of-age who almost stole the show, proving what a bright future she has in the game of golf should she persevere with her talent.

After starting the second round with a share of the lead, the Year Seven ace quickly asserted her dominance, opening up a big lead on the front nine before running away with an eight-shot win.

There were a number of girls who stood out in the Nett Division also, with Heather Garrett (Oxford Falls Grammar) winning in her first-ever major junior golf tournament, one shot clear of Year Seven Nett Champion Maddison McKee (McAuley Catholic College Grafton).

Jasmine Driscoll (Blakehurst HS) shared the overnight lead and finished second, claiming the Year Eight Girls Division alongside Jasmine Vesper (Singleton HS), who was the Year Eight Girls Nett Champion.

Maddison Butterfield (Melville HS) claimed the Girls Year Nine title with Rheannah Webb (Goulburn HS) picking up the Nett Division.

The overall wins for Speechley, Wikana, Currie and Garrett saw them take out the Jack Newton Shield, as the best-performed Junior Boy and Girl, in both scratch and nett divisions, for all junior golfers in the tournament for school students in those first three years of high school.

 

 

 

CQ juniors excel

Central Queensland juniors (left to right) Luke Cumberledge, Jayden Gardner, Ben Swaffield, Brad Cumberledge and Quinn Stover.
Central Queensland juniors (left to right) Luke Cumberledge, Jayden Gardner, Ben Swaffield, Brad Cumberledge and Quinn Stover.

 

IN Central Queensland, Yeppoon Golf Club juniors Ben Swaffield and Quinn Stover teamed up to win the second annual Central Queensland junior fourball event at the Gracemere Lakes golf course.

Played as a Canadian Foursomes event, Ben and Quinn carded an 81 gross to win the challenging event in the 18-hole division.

Yeppoon’s Luke Cumberledge and Jayden Gardner returned a gross score of 80 to take out the 13-hole division while Sam Norris and Brad Cumberledge, also from Yeppoon, captured the nine-hole division with a score of 58 off the stick.

In the six-hole division, Gracemere Lakes Golf Club’s Cooper and Kobi Dawson were successful with a score of 44.

The tournament was well supported with junior representation from Yeppoon, Gladstone, Boyne Island, Emerald and Blackwater golf clubs.

 

 

 

 

About Richard Fellner

A four-time winner of the Australian Golf Media Awards, including Best Photojournalism, Best Opinion, Best Column and Best Photographic Presentation, Inside Golf Group Editor Richard Fellner is the quintessential Golf Tragic, having played the game for over 50 years (but has never gotten any better!) He has played and reviewed courses all over the world, and has interviewed many of the great players of the game (including Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and Greg Norman). Richard is a member of both the Australian Golf Media Association and the Golf Society of Australia, and has been a featured guest on many Australian "sports talk" radio shows and networks, including ABC Grandstand, SEN 1116, Melbourne Talk Radio 1377, 2GB and others. Follow Richard Fellner on Quora

Connect

Follow on Twitter View all Posts Visit Website

Related Posts