Queenslanders Claim Ballina Titles
(Monday 16th April, 2018)
Queensland pair Terry Yoon and Keely Purdey have fought off the many challenges to win the 2018 Ballina Junior Masters at the Ballina Golf Club.
After heading into the final round trailing overnight leader Che Sandiford by three shots, Yoon was steady throughout the final round and his even par 72 was enough to get the job done on Monday.
Starting on the 2nd hole courtesy of the shot-gun start, Yoon picked up a birdie on his first hole of the day, before dropping shots on the 3rd and 5th to slip further behind. A long stretch of pars through the difficult stretch on the golf course followed, and a birdie on the 13th saw him climb the leaderboard and into a share of the lead. A bogey on the short 17th (his 16th) was followed up by a birdie on the 18th hole (his 17th) and gave the former JNJG and Strathfield GC member a one shot victory over Jackson Hall (Concord) and Che Sandiford (Coolangatta Tweed Heads).
Hall and Sandiford both had chances to force a playoff, but Sandiford couldn't find the birdie he needed over the closing holes whilst Hall could not get up and down on the final hole after his tee shot found the trees on the left hand side. Jack Harlen-Robertson (Lismore) and Kyle Gray (Queensland) finished a shot further back, the Queenslander producing the round of the tournament to nearly snatch victory.
Local star Harvey Remfrey (Ballina) was too good in the 14-15 Years Division, defeating Fletcher Murray (Kew) by three shots. It was an impressive effort by the 15 Year Old, who flew from Perth -> Sydney -> Ballina on Saturday Night / Sunday Morning after travelling to Perth with the NSW Development Squad to compete in the Australian Junior Championships.
Brij Ingrey (Newcastle) picked up his first JNJG title of the year, claiming the 12-13 Years Division by the narrowest of margins. The Novacastrian was extremely consistent at Ballina, recording 9 Bogies and 27 Pars over the 36 Holes to defeat Josh Todd (Randwick) by one shot.
In the Boys 11 Years and Under Division, Max Fischer (Moore Park) picked up his third consecutive title with victory over Kooper Tonga (Queensland). After recording convincing wins at Wagga Wagga and Bathurst to start the year, Fischer was pushed all the way by the impressive young Queenslander before hanging on to win by two strokes. Another Queenslander, 9 Year Old Eshan Singh was also impressive, winning the Handicap Division after finishing at 15 Under Par!!
In the Girls Division, Queenslander Keely Purdey claimed her first Major Title keeping up the Queensland Girls perfect record in the event, but was pushed all the way by 13 Year Old Charlotte Perkins (Cronulla). The impressive pair pulled away from the rest of the field, with Perkins even managing to draw level with only four holes to play. After a difficult period mid-round, Purdey showed class and steadied when she needed to, making a par on the tough 15th hole before two long shots and a two-putt birdie on the 16th hole sealed the title.
The other stand-out in the Girls was Ella Scaysbrook (Port Macquarie), who defied her 15 Handicap to record rounds of 84-80 and finish at 10 Under Par in the Nett Division, as well as 4th place overall in just her 3rd JNJG Junior Masters Event.
Boys Championship
147 - T Yoon (Queensland)
148 - J Hall (Concord) C Sandiford (Coolangatta Tweed Heads)
Girls Championship
156 - K Purdey (Queensland)
159 - C Perkins (Cronulla)
Boys 16-17 Years
Scratch - T Yoon (Queensland) 157.
Hcp - S Beazleigh (Coolangatta Tweed 10) 144.
Boys 14-15 Years
Scratch - H Remfrey (Ballina) 150.
Hcp - S Whiting (Queensland 7) 142.
Boys 12-13 Years
Scratch - B Ingrey (Newcastle) 153.
Hcp: B Muldoon (Coolangatta Tweed Heads 16) 141.
Boys 11 Years & Under
Scratch - M Fischer (Moore Park) 165.
Hcp - E Singh (Queensland 25) 129.
Girls 14 Years & Over
Scratch - K Purdey (Queensland) 156.
Hcp - P Hollis (Kew 8) 149.
Girls 13 Years & Under Years
Scratch - C Perkins (Cronulla) 159.
Hcp - E Scaysbrook (Port Macquarie 15) 134.
Final Leaderboards - CLICK HERE
Final Round Heating Up at Ballina
(Monday 16th April, 2018)
The final round of the 2018 Ballina Junior Masters is underway, with the entire field getting underway with a 7:30am shot-gun start.
Can overnight leaders Che Sandiford and Keely Purdey hang on to claim the title?
Live Scores - Click Here
Sandiford Leads Packed Field at Ballina
(Sunday 15th April, 2018)
A tournament record field of 99 Juniors have completed the opening round of the 2018 Ballina Junior Masters under hot and sunny skies in the Northern Rivers of NSW. And at the end of the opening day, the picture is no clearer as to who will come out on top with many of the divisions close heading into the final 18 holes.
Che Sandiford (Coolangatta Tweed Heads) will take a two shot lead into the final round after firing an even par 72 on a difficult opening day in Ballina. Fresh off an impressive 28th finish at the Australian Boys Championships in Perth just last week, the 17 year old impressed again back in NSW with his round highlighted by an eagle on the Par 5 6th hole. Sandiford will need to fight off a host of challenges, with 20 players within five shots of the lead on a packed leaderboard.
Joining Sandiford in the final group will be Queenslander Isaac Callaway, Jackson Hall (Concord) and 14-15 Years Leader Harry Cleare (Nelson Bay) who all finished the opening round at two over par. A further five players are a shot further back at +3, including locals Willow Harris (Grafton), Jack Harlen-Robertson (Lismore), Isaac Outridge (Coolangatta Tweed Heads) and Queenslanders Terry Yoon and Sam Slater.
In the Boys 12-13 Years Division, Josh Todd (Randwick), Brij Ingrey (Newcastle) and Harry Atkinson (Kurri Kurri) have a share of the lead at four over par. The youngsters not only performed well in their age group, sneaking into the Top 10 overall. There's another three-way tie the Boys 11 Years and Under Division, with Mali Loomes (Woolgoolga), Leon Li (Roseville) sharing the lead with Max Fischer (Moore Park), who is searching for his third straight 11 Years and Under Title to start the year.
Queensland visitor Keely Purdey has taken the lead in the Girls Division, making three birdies in her opening round of 77. She leads playing partner Pyper Hollis by one shot, who also had three birdies of her own on day one. Queenslander Norika Wakayama leads the 13 Years and Under Division, one shot clear of Charlotte Perkins (Cronulla).
Round 1 Scores - Click Here
Round 2 Draw - Click Here
Record Field to Battle Ballina
(Thursday 12th April, 2018)
A record field of nearly 100 junior golfers will travel to the Northern Rivers this weekend to compete in the 2018 Ballina Junior Masters. After three years of building the event up, the Ballina Golf Club will once again host the tournament with the biggest number of players in the tournament's short four year history.
With defending Champion Kyle Underwood turning 18 and leaving the junior ranks since last year's event, a new name will be etched into Ballina Junior Masters History with 78 Boys taking part in the Boys Division this year. Queenslanders Kyle Gray and Samuel Slater head into the event with the lowest handicaps at +1, but all eyes will be on local Northern Rivers products Conor Whitelock (Byron Bay), Isaac Outridge (Coolangatta Tweed Heads), and Jack Harlen-Robertson (Lismore) looking to keep the trophy in the local district for another year.
In the Girls Division, defending champion and Queenslander visitor Caitlyn Campbell-Nyman will also miss her chance to go back to back, currently in Perth competing in the Australian Junior Girls Championship. A total of 19 Girls will be looking to take her title however, with Keely Purdey, Caitlin Vanderkruk and Emily Martin all looking to make it three wins in a row for Queenslanders. Charlotte Perkins (Cronulla) will be making the trip up from Sydney looking to claim her first overall JNJG title, whilst local Northern Rivers junior Hollie Fuller (Grafton) will be out to win the Nett Event in her first Ballina Junior Masters.
Play gets underway on Sunday morning just after 8:00am whilst it will be a shotgun start for the final round early on Monday morning.
Round 1 Draw - Click Here
Leaderboard - Click Here
