Amateur Jeffrey Guan (-14) may have finished a career-high fourth in the Nexus Advisernet WA Open, but the 17-year-old has identified an area of his game that he can target to take him to the next level.
Playing in the final group on the final day for the first time, Guan completed a second straight top 10 on the ISPS Handa PGA Tour of Australasia with rounds of 67, 67, 64 and 68 around the par-70 Western Australian Golf Club in Yokine, Perth. He also claimed the Terry Gale Cup as the tournament’s low amateur.
“I got so much experience from playing against the pros this week and in last week’s WA PGA,” he explained. “They play differently to how I play. Some are longer, some are shorter, but in general their putting is spectacular.
“What I’ll take away from this event is that I need to improve my putting, especially from 10 to 15 feet. The pros seem to hole so many putts from that range, and it is something that I’ll be working hard on.”
Guan, from The Australian Golf Club in Sydney, New South Wales, has built up an impressive in Western Australia. In three professional events here he has finished tie-sixth, tie-ninth and fourth.
“Maybe it’s just a coincidence, but I really enjoy playing in Western Australia and I had a great time out there today,” he said.
“I was in the final group for the third round for the 2021 event [played in April 2022 at Royal Fremantle], but I didn’t have a great day then, so I wanted to make sure I learned from it and changed it today.”
A final round of 2-under-par 68 in difficult weather conditions proved that the reigning Australian Junior Amateur champion is a quick learner and Guan has a few more opportunities to learn from the professionals lined up before the end of the year. He will tee it up in the Australian Open and the Gippsland Super 6 in December, but before then he will represent Australia in the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in Thailand.
“My target is to turn professional next year, but a lot depends on how I go in these next few events,” he said. “It’s a big decision, and I need to stay patient.
“My goal is to finish in the top 10 or 20 for those two pro events to give myself more confidence and momentum before I turn pro.”
Kalgoorlie’s Connor Fewkes (-12) finished in a tie for seventh on after a final round 68. The left-hander had a nervy start and was 1 over at the turn, but came home in 3 under par to complete his best finish in a professional event.
Former champion Hayden Hopewell had another good week, finishing in a tie for 15th and joins Guan in the Asia Pacific Amateur next week in good form.
Adam Brady (-6) finished in a tie for 23rd, one stroke ahead of British Amateur champion Aldrich Potgieter (-5).
