Father-and-son pairing Mark and Jovi Gibson are the 2024 Mini Golf Champions of WA after winning a thrilling final at Wembley.
The Gibson duo (pictured above) were one of four teams to finish tied on 41 strokes (four under par) after 18 holes of the pairs betterball competition, with all teams agreeing to contest a playoff rather than have a countback decide the title.
Last year’s Junior Champions, Ethan Hews and Jackson Tait, were eliminated at the first extra hole, with Liam Sullivan and Riley Schafer dropping out at the next to finish third.
Wembley’s long, sweeping 13th hole saw the final action of the contest, which was a head-to-head between the Gibsons and the defending Open division champions, Ross Nagle and John Taylor.
Playing first, Nagle and Taylor could do no better than a 4 between them, opening the door for their rivals, which Jovi charged through with a routine 3 to clinch the title.
As well as the state title, the Gibsons won the $1000 top prize and a bye into next year’s final should it take place.
Seven-handicapper Jovi, a member at WAGC and Lake Karrinyup, was delighted to chalk up a bona fide state title, regardless of the format.
“It means quite a bit,” he told GolfWA. “I’ve won a nett division at state events before but not an open category, and I’ve never won money before, so that’s pretty nice!”
“I was really relying on Jovi to sink all the putts today and show me the lines, and that paid off nicely!” said dad Mark, a casual golfer himself.
“We can say we’re state champions in something and not many people can say that, so from that point of view [this event] is a great initiative.”
Brothers Adem and Artur Dali claimed the Junior Championship by one stroke
The Gibsons weren’t the only family team to celebrate victory at Wembley, with brothers Artur and Adem Dali recording a one-stroke victory in the Junior Division and taking home the $500 top prize.
With their level-par score of 45, the Dalis edged out Scarlett Joy & Isla Shearman (2nd on countback) and Kai Newcombe & Lachlan Loughbrough.
All-in, 36 teams contested the finals, with eight junior pairs and 28 in the Open Division. One of those competitors was GolfWA Chair Emma Elliott, who hailed the day as a great success.
“It’s so good to see so many golfers of different ages all having fun and competing at the same time,” said Elliott. “At GolfWA, we believe that all golf is golf and that all of us can be golfers. Events like this are a perfect example of that.”
