Amelia Whinney and Jack Buchanan have been recognised as South Australia’s best performed amateur golfers – topping the State’s 2020/21 Order of Merit (OOM).

Whinney, an 18-year-old, based out of The Grange Golf Club, was outstandingly consistent throughout the season, with four wins and three seconds from her thirteen starts, to win her maiden Women’s Vardon Trophy from Caitlin Peirce (Royal Adelaide Golf Club) and Jin-Young Yun (The Grange Golf Club) respectively.

Wins in the Flagstaff Hill, Kooyonga, Royal Adelaide and Glenelg Vardon events demonstrated the talented teenager’s ability to compete and dominate on the toughest courses in South Australia.

“I’ve been really happy with my progress this year, especially with completing year 12 and Covid impacting on travel and the events calendar,” said Whinney.

“Now that school is finished my biggest focus will be on my golf. I’m definitely looking forward to less restrictions so that I can get the opportunity to travel and really get a good idea of where my game is at compared to others in the field."

Buchanan, 19, from Glenelg Golf Club, retained the Men’s Vardon Trophy, last played in 2019 when he was a junior. After winning the season ending strokeplay component of the SA Amateur Championship and a semi-final position in the matchplay component, Buchanan overtook second place Billy Cawthorne (Royal Adelaide Golf Club) with Harrison Burner (Glenelg Golf Club) taking third spot.

This was a truly exceptional season for Buchanan who was also crowned the Australian Men’s Order of Merit winner.

” I’m pretty happy with where my game was this year, to win the National OOM and the SA Vardon series shows I played pretty consistent”, said Buchanan.

“Hopefully I can play similar golf into 2022. Obviously Covid made a huge difference this year in regard to events, but hopefully next year restrictions can ease, and all the events will go ahead giving us a big year of golf.”

The 2021/22 Open Age OOM for both Men and Women, kicked off at the Robe Hotel Village Classic Vardon event on November 14.

In the South Australian Junior OOM, Amelia Whinney has put together a terrific season to claim victory along with her Women’s OOM title.

Whinney dominated throughout the season with an exceptional record of seven wins and four runner-up spots from eleven starts. Wins in all three of the Junior 36-hole opens and Vardon wins at The Vines, Flagstaff Hill and Blackwood were capped off by a standout eight shot winning margin at the South Australian Junior Masters.

Raegan Denton (Royal Adelaide Golf Club) finished in second place, edging out Glenelg Golf Club’s Jade Kinita by one point.

The Boys OOM saw The Vines Golf Club of Reynella’s Charlie Nobbs reign supreme holding off clubmate and 2020 champion Jordan Percey and Nicholas Siegmund (The Grange Golf Club) in a close finish.

Nobbs recorded victories at the first Junior 36-hole open along with Vardon events at Tanunda Pines and West Lakes.

The 2021 Mount Osmond Vardon on November 21 will be the first event of the new 2021/22 Junior OOM season.

In the South Australian Senior OOM, Angela Masters and Bruce Lindner were this year’s women’s and men’s winners. Masters, who plays at Blackwood Golf Club, held off fellow club member Rosemary Underwood by winning the season closing South Australian Senior Amateur. Lindner, from Kooyonga Golf Club had a very consistent season with three wins and eight top 10 place finishes to win the John Beaumont Trophy just ahead of Blackwood Golf Club’s Glen McGough.

In the Senior OOM Nett, Bruce Lindner made it a scratch and net double while Rosemary Underwood added the net title to her second-place scratch.

In the South Australian Super Senior OOM, for men aged 65 and above, Jim Richards from Tea Tree Gully Golf Club was awarded the Tony Mazzone Trophy after an impressive season capped off with a win at the season finale South Australian Senior Amateur. Michael Richards finished closely behind in second.

The Senior OOM’s for 2021/22 will align with the Open Age and Junior OOM by adopting the same points system for their upcoming season.

The Super Senior OOM will now be run in conjunction with the Men’s Senior OOM with the highest placed Super Senior being awarded the Tony Mazzone Trophy.

The season will begin with the Blackwood Senior Amateur on February 7.

Results Summary:

South Australian Open Age Women’s Order of Merit (Women’s Vardon Trophy):

1. Amelia Whinney (The Grange Golf Club)

2. Caitlin Peirce (Royal Adelaide Golf Club)

3. Jin-Young Yun (The Grange Golf Club)

South Australian Open Age Men’s Order of Merit (Men’s Vardon Trophy):

1.  Jack Buchanan (Glenelg Golf Club)

2. Billy Cawthorne (Royal Adelaide Golf Club)

3. Harrison Burner (Glenelg Golf Club)

South Australian Girls’ Order of Merit (Girl’s Vardon Trophy):

1. Amelia Whinney (The Grange Golf Club)

2. Raegan Denton (Royal Adelaide Golf Club)

3. Jade Kinita (Glenelg Golf Club)

South Australian Boys’ Order of Merit (Boy’s Vardon Trophy):

1. Charlie Nobbs (The Vines Golf Club of Reynella)

2. Jordan Percey (The Vines Golf Club of Reynella)

3. Nicholas Siegmund (The Grange Golf Club)

South Australian Senior Women’s Scratch Order of Merit:

1. Angela Masters (Blackwood Golf Club)

2. Rosemary Underwood (Blackwood Golf Club)

3. Josephine Ricourt (Glenelg Golf Club)

South Australian Senior Women’s Net Order of Merit:

1. Rosemary Underwood (Blackwood Golf Club)

2. Trish White (Blackwood Golf Club)

3. Angela Masters (Blackwood Golf Club)

South Australian Senior Men’s Scratch Order of Merit (John Beaumont Trophy):

1. Bruce Lindner (Kooyonga Golf Club)

2. Glen McGough (Blackwood Golf Club)

3. Richard Payne (Kooyonga Golf Club)

South Australian Senior Men’s Net Order of Merit:

1. Bruce Lindner (Kooyonga Golf Club)

2. Shane Amor (The Grange Golf Club)

3. Glen McGough (Blackwood Golf Club)

South Australian Super Senior Men’s Scratch Order of Merit (Tony Mazzone Trophy):

1. Bruce Lindner (Kooyonga Golf Club)

2. Glen McGough (Blackwood Golf Club)

3. Richard Payne (Kooyonga Golf Club)

For final results and more information, please click here.