Bailey Hampson hit the ground running in his first appearance at Drummond Golf Men’s Country Week, winning the individual stroke play title as well as the foursomes.
Played in tricky conditions at Wanneroo Golf Club, the 36-hole Country Stroke Play Championship put the players thoroughly through their paces.
The morning round, in particular, proved challenging with tough pin positions and blustery conditions ensuring only a hardy few broke 80.
Eight-time Country Stroke Play champion Danny Ennor (Bunbury GC) made the early running with a first-round 77 to lead the field after the opening 18 holes.
The wily veteran led by a single stroke from clubmate Hampson, with Goomalling’s country golf stalwart Rodney Shemeld a further stroke back after a battling 79.
The afternoon, however, belonged to young Hampson (pictured above with Drummond Golf’s Wayne Tardrew), who fired a joint-best-of-the-day 74 to capture the title, three shots clear of Ennor, with Brookton GC’s Ryan Sheridan a further shot back in third.
Hampson’s week would get even better two days later when he partnered Tim Gillotti to a comprehensive victory in the 36-hole foursomes championship at The Vines.
Rounds of 73 and 76 saw the Bunbury duo romp to a seven-shot victory ahead of defending champions Rod Shemeld and Gillam Jones.
GolfWA Operations Manager Neil Goddard hailed Hampson’s stellar debut, saying: “All credit to Bailey. He held firm against seasoned opposition in the stroke play and dovetailed beautifully with Tim to win the foursomes.
“His is one of the most exciting debuts we’ve seen at Country Week for a long time and Bailey has all the credentials to become a force to be reckoned with in country golf for years to come.”
As is typical of Drummond Golf Men’s Country Week, some 300 players from 75 regional clubs made the trek to Perth to compete in a variety of competitions across multiple metropolitan clubs.
The event rounded out with the Metro vs Country match play encounter, which was won 5-2 by a Metro team headlined by WA state player Michael Hanrahan Smith.
You can view all the final scores from the week’s events here.
