Chun-Ta Wu and Grace Lee Win A.C.T Week of Golf
(3:00pm - Friday 6th January 2023)
Chun-Ta Wu (Long Reef) and Grace Lee (Concord) have claimed the A.C.T Week of Golf at Gold Creek Golf Club!! Wu had nine birdies in his final round 67 to win by six shots, whilst Grace Lee needed an extra hole to defeat Amy Hodgkins (Royal Queensland) in a playoff.
Heading into the final round, it looked as if the Boys Division was going to go down to the wire with a number of players still in contention with 18 holes to play. It was a little different in the Girls Division, as Queenslander Amy Hodgkins had strung the field out to lead Robyn Keen (Avondale) by three, with a further three shots back to Lee in third.
And whilst we got the grandstand finish to the one of the divisions on Friday afternoon, it was perhaps the one we weren't expecting, as Chun-Ta Wu blew away his rivals in the Boys Division with a breath-taking final round.
Wu flew out of the blocks with birdies at the first and second, before stumbling at the par five third with an untimely double bogey. The Northern Beaches junior brushed off the mistake by making birdie at his next three holes, to fly to the top of the leaderboard. From there he was never headed and on a day where many in the top 10 were struggling to make any birdies, Wu put the icing on the cake with four more over the final six holes to seal a dominant victory.
Sydney-siders Alex Radevski (St Michael's) and Jamie Smith (Monash) shared second spot, with 13-year-old young gun Jonathan Hong (Campbelltown) bouncing back from an opening round 78 to finish the tournament in solo fourth at three over par.
As Wu cruised to the title, the Girls Division was turning into a close and exciting two-horse race, as overnight leader Amy Hodgkins gave the chasing pack a sniff. A double bogey on the 9th led to a five over par front nine, and all of a sudden the overnight lead had vanished. It was Concord 17 Year Old Lee who was applying the pressure, turning in level par before eating further into the deficit with birdies on the 14th and 15th.
Hodgkins steadied on the back nine, birdies on the 10th and 11th restored the lead before another one of the 16th gave her just enough breathing space, leading by two with two holes to play. Disaster struck on the 17th, as Hodgkins slipped up with a double bogey, once again opening the foor for Lee. It looked as the Queenslander was going to take the title, safely on the 18th green in two as Lee had to wedge out of the rocks down the left hand side of the fairway, but after Hodgkins was unable to get her par putt to drop, extra holes were needed.
Lee made a rock-solid par down the 10th, the first of the playoff holes and after Hodgkins missed the green to the left and chipped up, watched as another par putt slid past the edge, leaving Lee as the victor.
Week of Golf Heads Down to the Wire
(7:30am - Friday 6th January 2023)
The final round of the Harvey Norman A.C.T Week of Golf is underway at Gold Creek Golf Club.
Darcy Mackay (Stonecutters Ridge) and Amy Hodgkins (Royal Queensland) hold the lead with 18 holes to play. Who will lift the trophy at the end of play today?
Mackay, Hodgkins Hold Final Round Lead
(4:30pm - Thursday 5th January 2023)
Darcy Mackay (Stonecutters Ridge) and Amy Hodgkins (Royal Queensland) will head into the final round of the 2023 Harvey Norman A.C.T Week of Golf with the lead after an exciting days play at Gold Creek Golf Club in Canberra.
On a day where the strong southerly breeze made the temperature feel much cooler than it actually was, many players fell out of contention as the wind continued to blow.
Mackay started the day with a two shot lead and a birdie on the last left him alone again at the top of the leaderboard after a two over par 74 on Thursday. Mackay was steady, making two birdies alongside four bogies, and takes a one shot lead into the final round.
Chun-Ta Wu (Long Reef) is the only other player in red figures after an even par 72 in the third round, with a further 10 players still within striking distance with 18 holes to play. Jamie Smith (Monash), Alex Radevski (St Michael's) and Callum Yates (Riversdale) are the best of the chasing pack, sharing third at one over par.
Hodgkins has the chance to go wire-to-wire on Friday, extending her lead to three shots with a three under par 69 on Thursday. One of only two players to break 70 on the difficult scoring day, the Queenslander would almost have one hand on the trophy if not for a career best by Avondale's Robyn Keen. Keen matched Hodgkins with a 69 on Thursday, breaking 70 for the first time in her career to move into second place at even par for the tournament.
The two leaders in the Girls Division put a gap on the rest of the field, with Concord pair Grace Lee and Michelle Bang rounding out the top four at +3 and +5 respectively.
Cool Conditions at Gold Creek for Moving Day
(6:30am - Thursday 5th January 2023)
After playing in extreme heat on day one and dodging massive lightning storms on day two, the third round of the 2023 Harvey Norman Week of Golf is underway in cool and overcast conditions at Gold Creek Golf Club.
Darcy Mackay (Stonecutters Ridge) and Amy Hodgkins (Royal Queensland) hold narrow leads heading into the third round. Who will lead at the end of the day today?
(Round 4 will be a 2-Tee Start, with all players teeing off between 7:30am and 9:30am)
Mackay Leads Packed Leaderboard at Gold Creek
(4:00pm - Wednesday 4th January 2023)
Darcy Mackay (Stonecutters Ridge) has moved to the top of the leaderboard at the 2023 Harvey Norman A.C.T Week of Golf at Gold Creek. The 15 Year Old from Western Sydney fired his second consecutive round of 70 to move to four under par, two shots clear of a host of challengers.
Chase Oberle (Brookwater), Toby Farrar (The Australian) and Callum Yates (Riversdale) will join Mackay in the final group on Thursday, sharing second place at two under par. Farrar and Yates moved up the leaderboard with rounds of 69 on Wednesday morning, bettered only by 13 year old young-gun Jonathan Hong (Campbelltown) who fired a 68 to move into a share of 14th.
Overnight leaders Chun-Ta Wu (Long Reef) and Ed Procter (Royal Sydney) dropped back down the leaderboard with rounds of 75 and 76, however they remain in a group of 10 players within four shots of the lead at the halfway mark.
The leading Boys group will get underway at 11:00am on Thursday morning.
Amy Hodgkins (Royal Queensland) maintained her one shot lead in the Girls Division, dropping back to even par after struggling to a 77 on Wednesday morning. With Hodgkins and Michelle Di Natale (NSW) coming back to the pack on day two, a number of girls made their moves with Concord pair Grace Lee and Michelle Bang moving into second and third place respectively. Lee sits in outright second at one over par after a 71, with Bang one shot back alongside Di Natale at two over par.
The Girls leaderboard is just as tight as the boys, with the top eight players separated by five shots with 36 holes to play. The leading Girls group will get underway at 10:50am on Thursday morning.
"Tour Tee" Tee Times - Round 3
Round Two Underway at Gold Creek
(7:00am - Wednesday 4th January 2023)
A much cooler morning has greeted players at Gold Creek Golf Club for the second round of the Harvey Norman A.C.T Week of Golf.
Amy Hodgkins (Royal Queensland) and Michelle Di Natale (NSW) lead the way in the Girls Division, whilst Chun-Ta Wu (Long Reef) and Ed Procter (Royal Sydney) share the lead in the Boys Division after the opening day.
Who will lead at the halfway point later today?
Hodgkins Stars on Opening Day at Gold Creek
(5:00pm - Tuesday 3rd January 2023)
Queenslander Amy Hodgkins (Royal Queensland) has shone under bright sunny skies on the opening day of the 2023 Harvey Norman A.C.T Week of Golf at Gold Creek Golf Club. On a day where nine players broke par, it was Hodgkins who went lowest with a five under par 67 to storm to the top of the leaderboard.
The 17 Year Old made seven birdies for the day, including five in a seven hole stretch on the front nine, to open up a one shot lead over Michelle Di Natale (NSW). The Southern Highlands junior, paired with Hodgkins on the opening day, made three birdies and an eagle of her own on the front nine, before rounding out the day with nine straight pars.
The duo have opened up a sizable lead on the chasing pack, headed by Robyn Keen (Avondale) at level par. The Girls get the favourable morning conditions on day two, with the first group hitting the course at 7:00am.
Not to be outdone, a number of Boys also impressed on the opening day, with Chun-Ta Wu (Long Reef) and Ed Procter (Royal Sydney) sharing the lead after four under par 68s on Tuesday morning. Wu and Procter made 10 birdies between them, with a further five boys finishing the day in red numbers, headlined by Queensland youngster Chase Oberle (Brookwater). The first boys groups tee off at 8:30am on Tuesday morning, before the seeded draw takes place on Wednesday.
Sun Shining at Gold Creek for Start of 2023 Season
(7:00am - Tuesday 3rd January 2023)
The opening round of the 2023 Harvey Norman A.C.T Week of Golf is underway at Gold Creek Golf Club. It's a beautiful morning in the Nation's Capital, with the sun shining over the magnificent Gold Creek layout.
2023 Harvey Norman A.C.T Week of Golf
(4:00pm - Monday 2nd January 2023)
The 2023 Harvey Norman A.C.T Week of Golf gets underway at Gold Creek Golf Club tomorrow! 100 of the best juniors from around the country will take part in the first JNJG Major of the year.
With defending champions Jeffrey Guan (The Australian) leaving the junior ranks and Sarah Hammett (Queensland) in Melbourne for the Master of the Amateurs, two new champions will etch their name on the Tournament Trophy.
Play begins at 7am on Tuesday morning.
