WA claimed their first win of the Junior Interstate series today with a resounding victory over South Australia at Royal Fremantle.
After the disappointment of losing their morning match 3.5-4.5 to a mighty QLD team, WA regrouped to deliver a superb team performance after lunch and ran out 7-1 winners over a very accomplished SA lineup.
WA captain Josiah Edwards was at his imperious best as he dished up a 6&5 win over SA’s number one Kade Bryant, while Spencer Harrison also found his A-Game to best Joshua Grundel 5&4.
On his state debut, home-club favourite Mandeep Singh (pictured above) established an early lead in his match against Jackson Leonard that he would never yield on his way to a 4&3 victory, while Ollie Marsh made it four out of four for the WA boys with a gritty 1UP win over Malachy Marshall.
In the girls’ matches, Alice Tonts and Halia Edwards banked their first points in WA colours with hard-fought victories over Stephanie Keylock and Jaime Hards respectively, while Isabella Leniartek continued her fine form in the event with a 3&2 triumph over Katie Seol.
Only Aileen Sirait was unable to add to the WA total, but there was no shame in a 3&2 defeat at the hands of SA’s supremely talented number one, Raegan Denton.
Isabella Leniartek (left) and Alice Tonts both put points on the board for WA today
Close but no cigar against Queensland
After yesterday’s battling half with Victoria, WA faced off against the hotly tipped QLD team in this morning’s match – and they again gave their fancied opponents a very tough scrap.
As was the case yesterday, WA relied heavily on the interstate experience of Ollie Marsh, Josiah Edwards and Isabella Leniartek, who all put valuable points on the board. Leniartek’s win was particularly notable as she claimed the scalp of newly crowned Australian Junior Girls Champion, Shyla Singh.
With defeats for Spencer Harrison, Aileen Sirait, Chloe Veeran and Halia Edwards, Mandeep Singh’s encounter with Alfie Ward took on extra significance, with the WA man overturning a four-hole deficit to take the lead on their 16th hole.
Singh left a match-winning putt just shy of the hole on the next and missed the green on the left-side at the par-three 8th – the last hole of the clash. His subsequent bogey allowed Ward to win the hole and half the match – giving QLD overall victory by the smallest of margins.
After three matches, WA sit 5th in the overall team standings with QLD and NSW tied at the top. However, with winnable games against Tasmania and ACT on Wednesday, WA will fancy their chances of ending the third day in a strong position.
The fighting spirit evident across the team bodes well for their remaining matches, and with Leniartek, Edwards and Marsh all enjoying 100% records, WA looks to have a decent chance of a grandstand finish come Thursday.
View all the results and the team standings here.
Day 2 AM – WA vs QLD
Isabella Leniartek beat Shyla Singh 2&1
Aileen Sirait lost 3&1 to Sarah Hammett
Halia Edwards lost to Ionna Muir by 1 hole
Chloe Veeran lost 5&4 to Millie Komulainen
Josiah Edwards beat Chase Oberle 3&2
Spencer Harrison lost 5&4 to Harrison Gomez
Mandeep Singh halved with Alfie Ward
Ollie Marsh beat Jedd Brady 3&2
Final score: WA 3.5 – 4.5 QLD
Day 2 PM – WA vs SA
Aileen Sirait lost 3&2 to Raegan Denton
Isabella Leniartek beat Katie Seol 3&2
Halia Edwards beat Jaime Hards 1UP
Alice Tonts beat Stephanie Keylock 2&1
Josiah Edwards beat Kade Bryant 6&5
Spencer Harrison beat Joshua Grundel 5&4
Ollie Marsh beat Malachy Marshall 1UP
Mandeep Singh beat Jackson Leonard 4&3
Final score: WA 7 – 1 SA
WA captain Josiah Edwards has won 3 out of 3 matches so far
