Annoushka Maikap scores a double victory in Illawarra

By Noel Rowsell

WESTERN Sydney junior golfers have finished with victories and top tens in competitions which ran last week, headed by Annoushka Maikap (Stonecutters Ridge GC), who returned home with 2 x 1st places and a 4th in the Illawarra Junior Masters.

The Jack Newton Junior Golf Foundation ran two events during the week, hosting them concurrently at both Kiama GC and Links Shell Cove GC over the 13th-14th April.

In the U12 Illawarra Tour event, Hunter McMillan (Twin Creeks GC) finished in 2nd place in the Boys 10 Years & Under Age group, shooting 86/88 over the two days.

In the Illawarra Junior Masters, Annoushka (Stonecutters Ridge GC) was 8th overnight in the Girls division, following the completion of the 1st round, before shooting the 2nd-best score of the day to move up into a share of 4th place outright. Annoushka also made up 3 shots on the overnight leader to win the Girls 14/15 Age Group Scratch, and made up 9 shots on the overnight leader Libby Newcombe (Camden GC) to finish tied with her for 1st in the Age group Nett. Michelle Bang (Concord GC) was the outright winner of the Girls division, shooting 71/72 over the two days to win by 6 shots over Amy Squires (Concord GC).

In the Boys division, Blake Hodges (Erskine Park / New South Wales GC) shot scores of 79/73 over the two days, moving up 4 spots on Friday to finish in a tie for 17th outright. Blake also moved up the field on Friday in the Boys 16+ Age group, finishing in a tie for 10th in Scratch and 13th for Nett. Ryan Fletcher (Lynwood CC) was the outright winner of the Boys division, shooting 70/69 over the two days to win by a single shot over Zac Oyston (Wollongong GC). Blake’s next tournament will be the 2023 Murray River Junior Masters, which is being played at Howlong GC over 20th-21st April.

There were also two local western Sydney juniors competing in the Australian Junior Amateur, which was played at Tasmania GC over the 11th-14th April.

Darcy Mackay (Stonecutters Ridge GC) shot 77/75/78 (+14) over the first three days, narrowly missing the Men’s 54-hole cut. Zackary Swanwick (Napier GC, NZ) won the Boys event, shooting 14-under par over the four rounds.

12-year old Camilla Kim (Kellyville / The Australian GC) shot 82/80/80 (+23) over the first three days, also narrowly missing the Women’s 54-hole cut. Ann Jang (Toukley GC) won the Girls event, shooting 9-under par over the four rounds.