25 Aug 2020 | Amateur golf |
Smylie, Park light up #QldStrokePlay
by Golf Australia
Reigning Australian Junior champions Elvis Smylie and Hye Park have run away with the Queensland Stroke Play titles.
Smylie, who won the national junior title last April with the event not taking place this year due to Covid-19, posted 21-under-par at his home club Southport to win by nine strokes.
Fellow QAS squad member Louis Dobbelaar put the pressure on Smylie with a second round 64 yesterday, but it proved too much ground to cover as 18-year-old Smylie hit the gas today with rounds of 63-66 to head into the matchplay as No.1 seed.
Dobbelaar, a member of Brookwater, produced a brilliant fight back with rounds of 68-66 to earn No.2 seed and solo second. Conor Whitelock, of RACV Royal Pines, recorded the best finish of his career, with a three-under-par total securing solo third.
In addition to Smylie’s four rounds in the 60s, a major highlight were the five aces in the opening two rounds from Malcolm Ting, Joshua Hirsch, Tyler Duncan, Max Nielsen and Zach Maxwell; a hole-in-one record that will be tough to beat.
After outlasting three fellow competitors in a sudden-death playoff, Lucas Higgins has the daunting task of taking on the Smylie juggernaut. Their QLD v NSW state of origin match will be first out at Arundel Hills at 6:45am.
Over at Arundell Hills Country Club, Park added another accolade to her burgeoning trophy cabinet, which includes the current Australian, Queensland and New South Wales junior titles.
The World No.85 amateur fought off a late fight from Caboolture’s Justice Bosio to secure the No.1 seed by two shots. Park, who plays at RACV Royal Pines, fired a two under 70 in the morning which all but saved her hopes after closing with a disappointing 81 this afternoon.
Bosio, who won the South Australian Junior Masters and Amateur in January, finished solo second after four consistent rounds in the 70s.
Queensland senior interstate team mates Isabelle Taylor and Sarah Wilson shared third a further two strokes back.
The top 16 players will begin their quest for the #QldAm title on Thursday.