IT was a case of third time lucky for Doey Choi at the Brett Ogle Classic held at the Goulburn Golf Club over the weekend.
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The 14-year-old battled searing heat and gusty winds to take out the junior tournament, which is part of the Jack Newton Junior Golf Tour.
The two day event saw a full card of 128 of the state’s best up and coming junior golfers aged 10 to 17.
For the Greenacre native and member of Concord Golf Club, it’s Choi’s first victory in Goulburn after failing to make the cut the last two years.
The win adds to her meteoric rise this year, that includes her being crowned the best NSW amateur player, the youngest ever since 1909, as well as best NSW junior golfer.
“It was hot, but it was the wind that was probably the hardest thing to deal with,” Choi told the Post after her tournament victory.
“I was feeling sick the whole week before so I didn’t get any time to practice so I just came out and tried to have fun.”
Choi shot to a five-stroke lead after the first round on Saturday.
She hit two birdies and an eagle to help her to a three under par 69 leading into yesterday’s round. She continued her form in round two, to a 10 shot victory from Danni Vasquez (Bonnie Doon Golf Club) and Chloe Thornton (NSW Golf Club).
Whilst Choi cruised to victory in the girls event, the boys title went down to the wire, with Mitch Gannon (Bonnie Doon GC), Justin Kim (NSW GC), and 2013 winner Kurt Burns (Bonnie Doon GC) separated by one shot with 9 holes to play.
Gannon and Kim settled down to fight it out, and it wasn’t until a 12 foot birdie putt on the 2nd playoff hole that Gannon could claim victory.
Tournament director Dale Hughes said the Jack Newton Tour was the biggest junior golf organisation in Australia.
For the weekend’s tournament alone, there was 11 competitors on the waiting list.
“The kids enjoy actually playing golf with kids as opposed most of the time being at their clubs playing older guys,” Hughes said.
“So they enjoy getting out, especially for the girls, they enjoy getting out and making friends with the other girls more so than playing golf.”
Krystal Hu was one competitor who travelled all the way from her home in Auckland, New Zealand for the event.
She said she had never experienced playing in conditions as hot as what it was on the weekend. “It’s hot in New Zealand too but not this hot,” Hu said.
