2013 State Of Origin
Round 4 Update
Singles
NSW has claimed the 2013 State of Origin in thrilling fashion after some final hole heroics, defeating Queensland 16 matches to 14 at Newcastle Golf Club.
Leading 9.5 – 8.5 heading into the singles matches, NSW got off to a really fast start with Amy Chu defeating Caitlin Cotterill 5&4. Rebecca Kay answered back for Queensland with a 4&3 victory over Doey Choi to cut the margin to 1 match once again.
Then came the turning point as NSW got out of jail on the final hole on numerous occassions.
Chris Fan made a brilliant birdie on the last, nearly pitching in from 40m out to square his match against Josh Wellwood. Josh Armstrong hit the final green in 2, to set up a birdie and win the match 2 up against Bailey Knoll, and Celina Yuan spun her approach shot to within 5 feet, her birdie putt doing a full 360* lap of honour before dropping in to give her a come from behind 1up victory over Karis Davidson.
Three final hole birdies got NSW to 14 points and within sight of victory, but Queensland closed the gap once more. Kate Law stormed home to beat Jess Lasky. DeeDee Russell came from 2 down through 10 holes to defeat Lizzie Elmassian 3&2, and Shae Wools-Cobb defeated Grant Booth 1up after Grant’s drive found the bushes on the 18th.
Blake Windred steadied the ship for NSW, with a narrow victory over Kodie Koski and that left the score at 15-13 with the 17 years matches still on course.
Mia Martin was 3 up with 3 to play on Nicha Jomjaturong, whilst Cameron Davis was 3 up with 5 to play on Ryan Gaske, but it wasn’t over yet.
Nicha managed birdies on the 16th and 17th to close the gap to 1 down, but her birdie putt from 8 feet on the last sat on the edge of the hole, and Mia hung on for victory.
Cameron secured the outright victory for NSW when he won the 16th hole to go 2 up with 2 to play, but Ryan extended the match with a birdie on the 17th. The last hole was halved, leaving Cameron 1 up, and giving NSW the title 16-14.
A big thankyou to all 24 players, rules officials and the GNGF staff and volunteers for making the week a very enjoyable one.
Singles Results
12 Girls: Amy Chu (NSW) def Caitlin Cotterill (Qld) 5&4.
12 Boys: Chris Fan (NSW) sq Josh Wellwood (Qld).
13 Girls: Becky Kay (Qld) def Doey Choi (NSW) 4&3.
13 Boys: Josh Armstrong (NSW) def Bailey Knoll (Qld) 2up.
14 Girls: Celina Yuan (NSW) def Karis Richardson (Qld) 1up.
14 Boys: Isaac Noh (NSW) def Matt Frohmuller (Qld) 2&1.
15 Girls: Kate Law (Qld) def Jess Lasky (NSW) 1up.
15 Boys: Blake Windred (NSW) def Kodie Koski (Qld) 2&1.
16 Girls: DeeDee Russell (Qld) def Lizzie Elmassian (NSW) 3&2.
16 Boys: Shae Wools-Cobb (Qld) def Grant Booth (NSW) 1up.
17 Girls: Mia Martin (Qld) def Nicha Jomjaturong (NSW) 1up.
17 Boys: Cameron Davis (NSW) def Ryan Gaske (Qld) 1up.
NSW WIN 16-14
Event pictures can be seen on the JNJG Facebook page. Click Here to view
Round 3 Update
Foursomes
NSW heads into the afternoon singles with the narrowest of leads, after winning the morning foursomes matches by a score of 3.5-2.5.
After beginning the morning with the score tied at 6-6, the sub junior players got NSW off to a fast start with Amy Chu and Doey Choi, Chris Fan and Josh Armstrong, Isaac Noh and Blake Windred all winning vital matches.
Queensland fought back in the other girl’s matches, with DeeDee Russell and Mia Martin, and Karis Davidson and Kate Law cutting the margin to one match.
Grant Booth had a long uphill putt on the last hole to give NSW a 2 point lead heading into the singles, but it came up agonisingly short, the match was halved, and NSW lead 9.5-8.5.
Foursome Results:
12/13 Girls: Chu/Choi (NSW) def Cotterill/Kay (Qld) 4/3.
12/13 Boys: Fan/Armstrong (NSW) def Wellwood/Knoll (Qld) 2/1.
14/15 Girls: Davidson/Law (Qld) def Yuan/Lasky (NSW) 2up.
14/15 Boys: Noh/Windred (NSW) def Frohmuller/Koski (Qld) 1up.
16/17 Girls: Russell/Martin (Qld) def Elmassian/Jomjaturong (NSW) 4/3.
16/17 Boys: Booth/Davis (NSW) sq Wools-Cobb/Gaske (Qld).
NSW leads 9.5 - 8.5.
Round 2 Update
Fourball
NSW clawed their way back into the 2013 State of Origin series after the afternoon fourball saw them go undefeated and tie the contest up at 6 points apiece.
Chris Fan and Josh Armstrong got NSW off to a great start, and were never in trouble after wining 4 holes in a row on the front nine to take command of the match and cruise to victory.
The next 4 matches, were nail biters.
The girls 12 and 13s were never more than 1 up or 1 down either way, and all 4 players had a chance on the 18th green for birdie and a victory, but nothing dropped and a half was a fair result.
What came next could end up being the turning point of the event. Celina Yuan, battling fatigue after competing in the youth olympics last week holed a 15 foot birdie putt on the final hole to snatch an unlikely square for the NSW team, who trailed 3 down with only 5 holes remaining. Next up were Lizzie Elmassian and Nicha Jomjaturong, who were also 1 down after a back nine collapse, before Lizzie stiffed her approach to the difficult 18th to inside 1m, tapped in for birdie, and also secured half a point for JNJG.
Looking at dropping these 2 matches, those 2 birdies could prove vital tomorrow afternoon.
There was another birdie on the 18th hole, this time from Cameron Davis, who slammed the putt in from 30 feet to secure the win for himself and Grant Booth.
Fourball Results:
12/13 Girls: Cotterill/Kay (Qld) sq Chu/Choi (NSW).
12/13 Boys: Fan/Armstrong (NSW) def Wellwood/Knoll (Qld) 4/2.
14/15 Girls: Davidson/Law (Qld) sq Yuan/Lasky (NSW).
14/15 Boys: Frohmuller/Koski (Qld) sq Noh/Windred (NSW).
16/17 Girls: Russell/Martin (Qld) sq Elmassian/Jomjaturong (NSW).
16/17 Boys: Booth/Davis (NSW) def Wools-Cobb/Gaske (Qld) 2up.
Match Tied 6-6.
Round 1 Update
Mixed Foursomes
JNJG and GNGF met at Newcastle GC once again for the annual State of Origin matchup, involving the best boy and girl golfer in each age group from 12 through to 17. In a Ryder Cup style format, the boys and girls play a round of mixed foursomes, 4 ball, foursomes, and singles to determine the champion state.
NSW are the defending champions, winning the title in 2012 by a score of 15.5 - 14.5, with the victory not wrapped up until the final putt, on the final green, in the final match. Will 2013 be as close ?
In Keeping with previous tradition, which has seen the mixed foursomes be very favorable to the GNGF team in seasons gone by, the Queenslanders got off to a fast start.
Rebecca Kay and Bailey Knoll registered the first point of the tournament, with a comfortable victory. Karis Davidson and Matthew Frohmuller added another point with a win on the 17th hole, while Dee Dee Russell and Shae Wools-Cobb held their nerve to win on the 18th. The only joy for NSW in the morning session was the Under 12 team of Chris Fan and Amy Chu, with the team never headed as they hung on to win 1 up.
Mixed Foursome Results:
12 Years: Chu/Fan (NSW) def Cotterill/Wellwood (Qld) 1up.
13 Years: Kay/Knoll (Qld) def Choi/Armstrong (NSW) 4/2.
14 Years: Davidson/Frohmuller (Qld) def Yuan/Noh (NSW) 2/1.
15 Years: Law/Koski (Qld) sq Lasky/Windred (NSW).
16 Years: Russell/Wools-Cobb (QLD) def Elmassian/Booth (NSW) 1up.
17 Years: Martin/Gaske (QLD) sq Jomjaturong/Davis (NSW).
Qld lead 4-2.
