2019 Illawarra Junior Masters

Lamb and Kim win in the Illawarra

(3:00pm - Wednesday 24th April 2019)

Corey Lamb (Concord) and Yerin Kim (Strathfield) have produced sublime final rounds to win the 2019 Illawarra Junior Masters at Links Shell Cove.

Heading into the final round trailing overnight leader Harrison Crowe (St Michael's) by two strokes, Lamb knew a fast start was needed to have any chance of catching the NSW Junior State Team Captain. The pair matched birdies on the opening hole and pars on the next two before the tournament was turned upside down on the fourth.

Crowe pulled his drive left into the long grass and after a quick search and no sign of the ball, headed back to the tee as it was determined that the ball never crossed the margin of the hazard. His third ended up in almost the same spot, however this one was recoverable and played from the long grass, however the best the 17 year old could manage was a triple bogey seven. Lamb pounced on the mistake, picking up a birdie on the fourth before making birdie on the next, and all of a sudden the Hunter River District junior had turned a two shot deficit into a three shot lead.

By this time, the two leaders had cleared out from the rest of the field and traded birdies over the next few holes, before Crowe started to tighten the screws with birdies on the 14th and 15th to draw level with Lamb who was an incredible five under par for the day. Just when it looked like the pre-tournament favourite was about to finish over the top of his rivals, another errant tee shot on the 16th led to a double bogey and Lamb once again had breathing space. He didn't need it, closing out the tournament with his birdie of the day to card a bogey free 64 and finish with a three shot victory.

Ali Rachid (Kogarah) birdied the final hole to finish alone in third place and take the 14/15 Years Division at two under par, one shot clear of Jeffrey Guan (The Australian) and local Ethan Harvey (Kiama) who also finished under par for the tournament. Alex Radevski (St Michael's) picked up his first JNJG Age Division title with a one shot win in the Boys 12/13 Years Division whilst Toby Farrar (Lynwood) defeated Darcy Mackay (Stonecutters Ridge) by the same margin in the 11 Years & Under Division.

There was local success for Sonny Ettridge (Kiama) in the Nett Division, finishing at 12 under par to win the 12/13 Years Nett Division by nine shots.

It wasn't just the Boys who were making birdie after birdie in the perfect conditions, with standout Junior Masters Girls Yerin Kim and Annika Boyd (Pymble) also turning it on in the Illawarra sunshine.

After starting the final round with a share of the lead, neither player gave an inch early and when both players picked up birdies on the 7th and 8th holes, scores were tied at the top at two under par. Kim picked up another birdie on the 9th to edge in front but a bogey on the 12th followed by a Boyd birdie on the 14th saw the Central Coast girl take the lead with just four holes to play.

The 17th hole proved to be the turning point, with a two shot swing in Kim's favour seeing the lead swap back again and a par on the last was enough to hold of the gallant Boyd who picked up her second runner up Junior Masters finish in a row following a win at the Peter O'Malley Junior Masters just last month.

Annika Rathbone (The Australian) finished in outright third after a fantastic 68 on the final day, whilst 11 Year Old Ann Jang (Toukley) was far too good for her division despite playing up an age group in the 12/13 Years. Charlotte Perkins (The Australian) defeated long time rival and close friend Brie Mapanao (The Australian) by one shot in the 14/15 Years Division, whilst Hayoung Lee (Avondale) finished one shot clear of Millie Komulainen (Long Reef) in the Girls 11 Years and Under Division.

Marissa Hronis (Kogarah) shaved some shots off her handicap, winning the Girls 12/13 Years Nett Division with an impressive nine under par.

Final Scores - Click Here

The JNJG Junior Masters Series heads to the Lower North Coast next, with the North Coast Junior Masters taking place at Kew Country Club in May. To register, click here.

Can Anyone Catch Harrison Crowe?

(7:00am - Wednesday 24th April 2019)

Harrison Crowe (St Michael's) will take a two shot lead into the final round of the Illawarra Junior Masters after a three under par 63 at Kiama GC on day one. Crowe will play Links Shell Cove in the second round with all players swapping courses from the opening day.

Annika Boyd (Pymble) and Yerin Kim (Strathfield) take a share of the lead in the Girls Division and also play Links Shell Cove on the final day, whilst young gun Ann Jang (Toukley) trails by just one shot and will play Kiama in the second round.

Live Scores - Click Here

Class Shines Through as Crowe Leads Illawarra

(2:00pm - Tuesday 23rd April 2019)

NSW State Junior Team Captain Harrison Crowe (St Michael's) has fired a three under par 63 to take the lead at the Illawarra Junior Masters. Annika Boyd (Pymble) and Yerin Kim (Strathfield) fired matching even par 69's on the tight Kiama layout to share the lead in the Girls Division.

Fresh off leading NSW to an Australian Junior Interstate Series Win, Crowe showed his class in course management on the testing Kiama layout. Crowe picked up four birdies, dropping only the one shot on the par three 14th to lead by two shots after the opening day. Fellow Junior State Team player Corey Lamb (Concord) was the only other player to break par firing a one under par 65 which also included four birdies.

A host of players remain in the hunt chasing the NSW team mates, with Danny Pedzikiewicz (Kooindah) and Ali Rachid sharing third place at one over par. They were joined by a trio of 13 Year Olds who also recorded one over par scores on the first day at the Links Shell Cove. Ryan Fletcher (Lynwood) and Shashank Koirala (Bonnie Doon) posted that number and they were joined by Jake Riley (Toronto) who finished birdie - birdie to share the lead in the 12 & 13 Years Division.

In the Girls Division, Annika Boyd and Yerin Kim will take a share of the lead into the final round after finishing the opening day at level par. Boyd had two birdies and two bogies whilst Kim had three of each on a day where no girl finished under par at either course. The duo lead young gun Ann Jang (Toukley) who was the best of the 12 & 13 Year Olds playing at Links Shell Cove on the opening day, finishing with a one over par 71 to sit in outright third overall.

Round 1 Scores - Click Here

Round 2 Draw (Links) - Click Here

Round 2 Draw (Kiama) - Click Here

Illawarra Junior Masters Underway at Links, Kiama

(7:00am - Tuesday 23rd April 2019)

Perfect conditions have greeted the players for the opening round of the 2019 Illawarra Junior Masters. The addition of Kiama GC as a new host club alongside Links Shell Cove sees a new tournament format in 2019, with all players to play 18 holes at both venues across the two days.

The 11 Years & Under and 12/13 Years Divisions will play the Links on the opening day, with the 14/15 and 16/17 Years Divisions tackling the tight and tricky Kiama GC course.

Round 1 Draw (Links) - Click Here

Round 1 Draw (Kiama) - Click Here

Live Scores - Click Here

Record Field Set for Illawarra JM

(1:00pm - Thursday 18th April 2019)

A record field of more than 200 players will take part in the 2019 Illawarra Junior Masters, set to take place on Tuesday 23rd and Wednesday 24th April. For the very first time, the tournament will be played across two venues, mirroring the successful format used at the Macarthur Junior Masters for the last few years. Long term host Links Shell Cove will be joined by Kiama GC in hosting the event, with the second host club allowing an additional 40 players to take part in the event.

Players in the 11 Years & Under Division will be joined by those in the 12 & 13 Years Division in playing the Links Shell Cove on the opening day, before heading a little further South on day two to play Kiama. The older age groups will play the courses the other way round, with the 14 & 15 Years joining the 16 & 17 Years at Kiama on day one and Links on day two.

A number of NSW State Team Players will be looking to build on the success they had at the recent Australian Interstate Series, with Harrison Crowe (St Michael's), Jeffrey Guan (The Australian) and Josh Robards (Newcastle) backing up after helping NSW claim victory just last week. They'll face stiff opposition from Ethan Chambers (The Australian), Blake Phillips (Concord) and Ripudaman Singh (Lynwood) who have all been in fine recent form.

Kiama trio Eddie Ward, Will Daibarra and Ethan Harvey and Links Shell Cove's Bradley Wills will be sure to put up a fight and keep the trophy in the local district, whilst plenty of the younger juniors will be making the Illawarra Junior Masters their first big tournament on the JNJG Tour.

The Girls Division will be headed by NSW State Team Player Yerin Kim (Strathfield), ACT State Team Player Isabelle Hawes (Royal Canberra) and recent Peter O'Malley Junior Masters Champion and Ballina Junior Masters Runner Up Annika Boyd (Pymble). The ever improving Selena Bosevski (Port Kembla) will ensure the Girls Division also has a local feel, with the 15 Year Old up against a number of quality players in the 14 & 15 Years Division.

Play begins early on Tuesday morning at 7:03am, with the opening round draw and tournament leaderboards available by clicking the links below.

Round 1 Draw (Links SC) - Click Here