Six of the state’s leading talents have been announced as finalists for the Western Australian Golfer of the Year.
To be presented at the WA Golf Industry Gala Dinner on Friday, March 28, the winner will receive the Outstanding Achievement in Golf Award in recognition of their stellar performances throughout 2024.
Established global heavyweights Hannah Green, Minjee Lee and Min Woo Lee are joined on the list by rising Ladies European Tour star Kirsten Rudgeley and Royal Perth amateur sensations Spencer Harrison and Isabella Leniartek. Brief overviews of the finalists’ 2024 records can be read below.
In announcing the finalists, Brendon Allanby, State Manager WA for the PGA of Australia and Chair of the WA Golf Industry Awards Organising Committee, said: “Western Australia has a proud record of producing top-level golfers, and 2024 was another memorable year for our players at professional and amateur level.
“As well as amassing numerous titles between them, our finalists also cemented their reputations at the top of the game or were recognised as emerging talents with the potential to achieve great things. All Western Australian golf fans should be very proud of them.”
The overall winner of the Outstanding Achievement in Golf Award is decided upon by an expert panel of WA golf industry representatives. Minjee Lee has won the award in each of the past four years.
WA Golfer of the Year finalists
Hannah Green: In arguably the best year of her career to date, Green won three titles on the LPGA Tour, represented Australia in the Women’s Olympic Golf tournament (finishing fifth, a stroke outside the medals) and climbed to a career-high No.5 in the world rankings. She finished the LPGA Tour season in 7th position in the Order of Merit, comfortably beating her previous best of 18th.
Spencer Harrison: A breakthrough year saw the teenage star win the WA Boys’ Amateur Championship and Mandurah Open Amateur, and reach the final of the WA Men’s Amateur. He finished 2nd overall in the Australian Boys’ Order of Merit and made his Australian international debut in a Ryder Cup-style clash against the USA in July.
Minjee Lee: A rare title-free year for Minjee, but she still achieved four top-10 finishes on the LPGA Tour, amassed more than US$900k in earnings to safely qualify for the Tour Championship and represented Australia at the Women’s Olympic Golf tournament.
Min Woo Lee: In his first full season on the PGA Tour, Min Woo made 16 cuts from his 19 events, claiming two runner-up finishes in the process, and reaching the season-ending playoffs. He represented Australian in the Men’s Olympic Golf tournament and was a captain’s pick for the Presidents Cup International Team.
Isabella Leniartek: Became the first player since 2005 to win all three of GolfWA’s junior ‘majors’ in a single season – the Cobra Puma Junior Championship; Drummond Golf Girls’ Amateur Championship of WA; and the Drummond Golf 54-Hole Junior Classic. The 15-year-old also went undefeated in the Junior and Open-Age Interstate Teams Matches, winning all seven of her individual matches.
Kirsten Rudgeley: The Mount Lawley product continues to grow in stature and is looking increasingly at home at the top of the game. In 2024, she completed a run of 33 consecutive cuts on the Ladies European Tour, with six top-10 finishes including a playoff loss at the Ladies Open de France.
A celebration of WA golf
The Outstanding Achievement in Golf Award is one of more than a dozen accolades that will be presented at the WA Golf Industry Awards Gala Dinner on Friday, March 28 at Crown Perth.
A joint initiative between GolfWA and the WA divisions of the PGA, The Golf Course Superintendents Association and the Golf Management Association, the ceremony features an array of award categories that recognise excellence in all areas of WA golf.
Individual awards include the PGA Professional of the Year, Course Superintendent of the Year and Employee of the Year, while there is also recognition of high-performing golf courses and facilities in metro and regional areas.
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