Our Team
Players: (1) Liam Howlett (Ballarat GC), (2) Mo Haintz (Mt Xavier GC), (3) Xavier Gleeson (Ballarat GC), (4) Dillon Benton (Midlands GC), (5) Millie Cassidy (Maryborough GC), (6) Harry Cowan (Bacchus Marsh West GC), (7) Eli Smart (Mt Xavier GC), (8) Hayden Dowling (Chalambar GC), (9) Jackson Tatt (Buninyong GC), (10) Sydney Viktorie Bayerle (Ballarat GC), (11) Aaliya Puvanendran (Ballarat GC)
Reserve Players: (1) Mitchell Wells (Bacchus Marsh West GC), (2) Jack Cowan (Bacchus Marsh West GC), (3) Josh Nalder (Maryborough GC), (4) Lacie Smith (Midlands GC)
Officials: Andrew Milligan (Team Manager), Andrew Cartledge (Junior Coach), Jeanette Tocchet (Secretary)
The competition was played over two rounds of stroke play with the lowest aggregate score winning the title in both the gross and handicap sections. A total of six scores counted each day, with a minimum of one score from boys and girls required.
Round 1 was played at Heathcote Golf Club. Liam Howlett played brilliantly firing a 3-under par round of 68 to take a three-shot lead into the final round the Boys Junior Country Championship section. Other strong performers included Mo Haintz (+3), Harry Cowan (+6), Xavier Gleeson (+8), Hayden Dowling (+9) and Millie Cassidy (+13).
Round 2 was played at Belvoir Park Golf Club. Strong performers included Mo Haintz (+3), Xavier Gleeson (+5), Liam Howlett (+6), Harry Cowan (+8), Eli Smart (+11) and Aaliya Puvanendran (+13).
At the conclusion of the competition Ballarat District Golf finished in third place in the gross event and runner up in the net event.
The quality and depth of the Golf South West team shone through as they overwhelmed all challengers to be worthy Victorian Junior Country Champions for the second year in a row. Congratulations to North Western on winning the net title.
Congratulations to Bailey Goodall (Shepparton Golf Club) on winning a third consecutive Victorian Boys Country Champion title after a playoff with Jesper Wallace (Heathcote Golf Club) and to Stephanie Baker (Riverside Golf Club - Mildura) on winning the Victorian Girls Country Champion title.
Thank you to Georgia Fish and Jessica Martin from Golf Australia for organising the 2023 Victorian Junior Country Regions, Heathcote Golf Club and Belvoir Park Golf Club for hosting the two days and the district associations who supported the competition which is such an important part of Victorian junior country golf.
On behalf of our team members, many thanks to Andrew Cartledge and Jeanette Tocchet for taking the team away to play in the competition and to the Executive Committee of Ballarat District Golf and our affiliated clubs for their fantastic support.
Andrew Milligan
Team Manager
