In scorching 38 degree heat, the Smarter than Smoking GolfWA Junior Tour drew to a close at Lake Karrinyup Country Club on Friday December 14. This year, the tour encompassed fifteen events, held in locations ranging from Pinjarra and Rockingham to Nedlands. Despite the weather getting in the way of some events, it was a highly successful and enjoyable year for everyone that took part.
The Smarter than Smoking Golf WA Junior Tour has been developed to allow junior golfers at a beginner level to take the skills they are learning and apply them to a golf course. It’s a fun, friendly and welcoming environment for kids to challenge themselves and develop their technique on some of the best Western Australian courses.
The tour is open to kids aged 12 years and below, who play across four different divisions based on ability; 5 Hole Tiger Tee, 9 Hole Tiger Tee, Modified Stroke and Stableford.
Although winning is not the key focus of this tour, Order of Merit is awarded to players who have performed consistently well throughout the year, and have played at least six rounds in the division.
In the 5-hole Tiger Tee division, Leon Aung took out first place with an average of 13.66. He was followed by Punit Mhatre, who came in second with an average of 12.75, followed very closely by Minh Bressan Nguyen with 12.65.
9-Hole Tiger Tee was taken out by Jay Deoskar with a 14.75 point average, followed by runner up James Dyer with 13.83. Nariko McDonnell claimed third place, achieving an average of 11.31.
Charlton Wee claimed first place in the Modified Stroke division, averaging 14.50. Runner up was Mandeep Singh, with 13.75, followed by Jackson Hearn in third place who averaged 12.72.
Competition was tight in the Stableford division, with winner Nicholas Chua holding a 0.16 point lead over runner up Louis Chen who averaged 13.50. Third place was taken out by Benjamin Nesbitt, with an average of 13.44, falling just 0.06 short of Chen.
As well as the Order of Merit, many participants improved their personal best’s over the course of the year, gaining confidence and refining their skills.
A big thankyou to all the parents who attended these events, got their kids involved and chaperoned and supported the tour. We hope to see everyone back in 2019 to continue growing the game!
GolfWA would also like to thank Healthway and Smarter than Smoking for their support of this tour, which allows kids to learn more about golf, improve their skills and grow their passion for the game in a healthy and safe environment.
