Tan and Clancy land WA Amateur Championship titles

16th Mar 2025

Silvester Tan Sheridan Clancy

Silvester Tan and Sheridan Clancy are the new Amateur Champions of WA after a gripping day of match play golf at Sun City Country Club.

In blustery conditions that played havoc with club selection, Royal Perth’s Tan edged top seed Connor Fewkes in the men’s final, producing a magnificent up-and-down from sand to win the 18th hole and claim a 1UP victory.

Lake Karrinyup’s Clancy, meanwhile, overcame a slow start to topple number-one seed Molly McLean to add the WA Women’s crown to the state girls’ title she won in 2021.

Quiet achiever Tan denies favourite Fewkes

After four years in the US college golf system, Tan returned to the domestic golfing scene in late 2024 and was promptly named in this year’s GolfWA Men’s Squad.

Less well-known than some of his WA squad mates, Tan quietly worked his way through the match play draw after coming through the qualifying rounds as fifth seed.

A highlight was his hard-fought win over Riley Schafer in the last 16, when he overcame a one-hole deficit with three holes to play to win the match with a clutch birdie at the last.

That nervelessness was on display again today, as both Tan’s matches went the distance. In his morning semi-final against Adam Baillie, Tan’s finesse around the greens helped him to a 1UP win in a match that could have gone either way – and he produced more of the same in the final against Fewkes.

Having overcome the match play hoodoo that had thwarted his title ambitions in previous years, WA state captain Fewkes started the final as favourite having bested young Liam Sullivan 5&4 in the morning semi-final.

He looked a good bet halfway through the final, too, establishing a two-hole lead over Tan after a birdie at the 8th. Although Tan closed the gap to one hole, some supreme scrambling from Fewkes under pressure on 12 and 13 helped him keep his nose in front.

The dogged Tan would not be denied, however, and the match was all square by the par-three 17th, with both making nervy pars after missing the putting surface from the tee.

Sun City’s risk-and-reward par-five 18th delivered a suitably exciting finale, with both men going for the green in two and both finding the deep front bunker.

Playing first, Tan demonstrated his silky short-game skills once again, extricating himself superbly to within four feet of the hole. Fewkes’ own effort rolled long and when he failed to hole the return putt, Tan converted a testing, breaking putt to clinch a 1UP win.

Silvester Tan’s short game was on point throughout the week

“I came into this week with no expectations. I’d had good rounds here and there but I just struggled to put together a full tournament,” Tan told GolfWA.

“I knew that if I put together all the rounds where I was playing my best, then I could reach the final, so I just went about my business this week and it all came together.”

Tan hailed the impact new coach Brett Rumford has had on his short game, adding: “I’ve been working a lot on my chipping [with Rumford] and it was really, really good this week. I think it’s probably what got me over the line.”

Now he has the state’s most prestigious amateur title to his name, Tan’s focus is shifting to his future as he targets a PGA Tour of Australasia card at Q-School next month.

Clancy outlasts McLean in epic

Qualifying as the second seed, 19-year-old Clancy made serene progress in her opening two match play rounds but faced a resolute Amanda Gan in the morning’s semi-final.

Royal Fremantle’s Gan, looking to defend the title she won at WAGC in 2024, produced a typically gutsy display in a match that saw the lead change hands several times before Clancy closed out a 1UP win on the 18th.

In the other semi, Victorian visitor Molly McLean defeated Lake Karrinyup’s plucky Georgia Garner-Dart 2&1 to set up an intriguing showdown with fellow big-hitter Clancy.

Top seed McLean had set a new women’s course record of 65 on Day 2 and continued to produce fireworks in the match play rounds – being an estimated eight-under-par in a 2&1 win over Amie Phobubpa in the quarter-finals.

McLean made a fast start to the final, racing into a three-hole lead after just four holes, but Clancy turned the match on its head, winning four holes on the bounce from the 6th – which included an eagle three on the par-five 9th – to take a slender lead into the back nine.

She extended her advantage at the 13th, but McLean hit back to win the 14th and 15th holes to level the match and seize the momentum.

The par-three 17th proved to be the crucial hole. Clancy fired a pin-seeker to five feet, while McClean missed left and then undercooked a putt from the fringe.

Clancy confidently converted her birdie putt to regain the lead and made a tidy par at the dangerous closing hole to round out a famous victory.

Sheridan Clancy added the WA Women’s title to the Girls’ crown she won in 2021

After a testing couple of years without a significant win to her name, claiming her home state amateur championship is just the boost Clancy needed.

“It was a great match today against Molly and I’m super-happy to add the Women’s Championship to the Girls’ title I won a few years ago,” she told GolfWA.

“It was nice to be in contention again and I’m really happy with how I played. I drove the ball really well all week and made a lot of putts when I needed to.”

Clancy also paid tribute to her caddy – and Lake Karrinyup clubmate – Isobel Dorrington, for keeping her grounded throughout the final.

“Isobel’s completely opposite to me. She’s very calm while I’m very bouncy. I was frustrated early in the final and she stopped me getting too down on myself. She did a great job today.”

A past WA junior representative, Clancy now represents Scotland at international level but says that she still considers herself a proud Western Australian.

“I play for Scotland but everyone knows that I’m from WA and whenever I get the chance, I play as many events as I can here,” she added. “I was raised playing GolfWA events and it’s so nice to get the win today.”

This year’s event also incorporated the Mid-Amateur Championships of WA for golfers over the age of 30, with winners recognised for their performance in the stroke play qualifying rounds.

Congratulations to Stephen Lord (Goomalling GC) and Kristie Smith (Collier Park), who won the respective Men’s and Women’s Mid-Am titles.