Playoff Drama in the Boys as Hillman-Varma Cruises Home
(5:00pm - Friday 13th January 2023)
Shashank Koirala (The Lakes) and Sahara Hillman-Varm (Concord) have won the 2023 Harvey Norman Sydney Week of Golf at Muirfield Golf Club. Hillman-Varma was far too good, leading from wire to wire to claim the Girls Division, whilst Koirala needed some final hole heroics, followed by a playoff, to win the Boys.
It may not have been the strongest JNJG Major in history with the Australian Amateur happening just down the road, but the finish to the 2023 Harvey Norman Sydney Week of Golf will go down as the most exciting in history after a dramatic final round at Muirfield Golf Club.
Midway through the back nine in the Boys Division, as many as six players were separated by just one shot, with all six players seeing their name at the top of the leaderboard at some stage throughout the final round. As the tournament heated up, Ti Fox (Richmond), Darcy Mackay (Stonecutters Ridge), Shashank Koirala (The Lakes), Harry Gourlay (Mollymook) and Jack Phillips (Concord) each took turns at having a crack at overnight leader Brodie Herring (Manly) at the top of the leaderboard, with players trading birdies, bogies and eagles in a frantic final hour.
Overnight leader Herring bounced back from a slow start with birdies at 10 and 11 to get himself back in the mix, and despite further birdies on 14 and 18, too many bogies on the final day saw the 17 year fall just short. The youngest player in the group of six staking a claim for the title also finished just short, with Harry Gourlay falling out of the lead after leaking his drive into the right trees which led to a bogey on the penultimate hole. Herring and Gourlay finished in a tie for 5th, just two shots out of the playoff.
After finishing up as the 1st reserve in the Australian Amateur and narrowly missing a start, Jack Phillips went within inches of becoming the oldest winner in JNJG history. Playing his final JNJG Tournament after turning 18 just weeks prior, the Concord junior put his hand up early with three birdies in four holes starting from the fourth. In the end, four bogies in a five hole stretch around the turn proved the difference as his long range birdie try on the 18th stayed on the high side, leaving him one shot short of the playoff.
That playoff ended up with three players, each of them getting to the winning score of two over par in astonishing fashion. With so many players in the mix and the final two holes at Muirfield offering up genuine birdie chances, there was always a chance that fireworks were still to come however no one could have predicted just how big the bang was going to be.
After four straight bogies around the turn, it looked as if the title was slipping away from Darcy Mackay, and a further bogey on the 16th just about closed the door. However one 40m pitch shot changed everything, as the 15 Year Old went from one shot back to one shot in front in the blink of an eye. With a number of Stonecutters Ridge members cheering him one, the celebrations from the hole-out eagle on the short 17th were heard around the course with the following group knowing that something big had just happened. Mackay was unable to make the birdie on the last that would have sealed the title, being the first player to post +2 in the clubhouse.
Playing with Mackay was fellow young gun Ti Fox, the 14 year old standing on the 18th tee having already made six birdies for the day. Having already put together the low round of the tournament, it probably came as no surprise that Fox rolled in another birdie when needed most, making a downhill six footer after a brilliant wedge shot into the final green.
As Mackay and Fox went to sign their scorecards and prepare for what they thought was going to be a two-man playoff, one player was left standing on the 18th tee knowing exactly what was needed to be done. Shashank Koirala knew that only an eagle would do, launching a booming drive which landed perfectly just short of the green bounced up and trickled towards the hole. As the 17 year old strode towards the final green, he could see the ball resting just seven feet below the hole, calmly knocking the eagle putt in which provided a quiet little fist-pump.
Unsurpisingly, the first playoff hole yielded more birdies, with Koirala and Mackay two putting after their long second shots found the putting surface at the par five first, with Fox once again proving clutch with the putter, knocking in a curling 10 footer to stay alive. The playoff would only go one more hole however, as Mackay missed the green to the left and Fox made a rare mistake with a three putt, allowing Koirala to two putt for his first major JNJG title.
As everyone tried to catch their breath following the finish to the Boys Division, Sahara Hillman-Varma went about ensuring the Girls Division was a little more straight-forward. After leading since very early on day one, Hillman-Varma went wire to wire in emphatic fashion, closing out her first JNJG Major Title with a resounding 12 shot victory.
Hillman-Varma's closest challenger was Zoe Arcus (Cromer), who briefly flirted with a title challenge on Thursday when she drew within four shots at Bankstown Golf Club. In the end, the JNJG Metro Academy player had to settle for second place, nine shots clear of Marissa Hronis (Kogarah).
With the school holidays coming to a close in the next few weeks, the JNJG Calendar takes a break, with the next tournament on the schedule the Wagga Wagga Junior Masters, played at the end of February. A full list of JNJG Tour Events for 2023 can be found here - https://www.jnjg.com.au/news/view/2022-2023-jnjg-tour-dates-revealed
Week of Golf Set for Exciting Finish
(7:00am - Friday 13th January 2023)
After an incredibly long week, the final round of the 2023 Harvey Norman Sydney Week of Golf is set for an exciting finish at Muirfield Golf Club.
Who will be crowned champion at the course our very own Jack Newton learnt to play the game?
Herring, Hillman-Varma Hold Final Round Lead
(4:00pm - Thursday 12th January 2023)
The final round of the 2023 Sydney Week of Golf is headed for an exciting finish at Muirfield Golf Club after the fourth round wrapped up on Thursday afternoon.
Bankstown provided a good test to players of all ages, with Brodie Herring (Manly) taking a one shot lead into the final round of the Boys Division, sitting at level par for the tournament. The Boys Division is extremely close, with 14-15 Years Leaders Harry Gourlay (Mollymook) and Darcy Mackay (Stonecutters Ridge) just one shot back at one over par.
The leading boys Divisions, in both the 14-15 Years and 16-17 Years Division will tee off in back to back groups at 9:24am and 9:33am on Friday morning.
In the Girls Division, run-away leader Sahara Hillman Varma (Concord) was tested on Thursday, with the gallant Zoe Arcus (Cromer) applying some pressure on the front nine. After starting the day nine shots back, the Northern Beaches girl closed within four before Hillman-Varma edged clear to open up an eight shot lead with just 18 holes to play!
The leading Girls Divisions get underway on Friday morning at 11:48am.
"Tour Tee" Tee Times @ Muirfield - Round 5
Beautiful Bankstown Hosts Round Four
(7:00am - Thursday 12th January 2023)
The fourth, but not final round, of the 2023 Harvey Norman Sydney Week of Golf is underway at Bankstown Golf Club.
Will Darcy Mackay (Stonecutters Ridge) and Sahara Hillman-Varma (Concord) lead heading into the final round at Muirfield tomorrow?
Hillman Varma Extends Her Lead at Lakeside
(7:00pm - Wednesday 11th January 2023)
Sahara Hillman Varma has extended her lead to nine shots in the Girls Division at the 2023 Harvey Norman Sydney Week of Golf. The 16 Year Old fired a one over par 73 on the amazing Lakeside Camden layout to put one hand on the trophy with two days still to play.
Darcy Mackay (Stonecutters Ridge) moved to the top of the leaderboard in the Boys Division, one shot clear of Brodie Herring (Manly) after the two boys finished the third round in red figures.
The shot of the day, and probably week, belonged to Penrith Golf Club's Joshua Bourke. Playing in his first ever JNJG Tournament, the 14 Year Old hit a 5 iron straight into the hole on the par three 14th for his first ever Hole-In-One!
Play moves to Bankstown Golf Club on Thursday, with the fourth round getting underway at 7:00am.
"Tour Tee" Tee Times - Bankstown - Round 4
New Look Lakeside Hosts Round Three
(7:00am - Wednesday 11th January 2023)
The brand new Lakeside Golf Club Camden will host the third round of the Harvey Norman Sydney Week of Golf.
Brodie Herring (Manly) and Sahara Hillman-Varma (Concord) lead heading into the third round!
Bogey Free Brodie Takes Control
(6:00pm - Tuesday 10th January 2023)
Brodie Herring (Manly) has fired a bogey free round at Liverpool Golf Club to move to the top of the leaderboard at the Harvey Norman Sydney Week of Golf.
The 17 year old was solid on Tuesday morning, making two birdies without dropping a single shot, to open up a two shot lead. Darcy Mackay (Stonecutters Ridge) sits alone in second place at level par, with a three shot gap back to the next group of players sitting at three over par.
Sahara Hillman-Varma (Concord) continues to lead the way in the Girls Division, extending her lead to eight shots after shooting the low round of the day for the second straight day.
"Tour Tee" Tee Times - Round 3 - Lakeside Camden
Sun Shines Down on Liverpool
(9:00am - Monday 9th January 2023)
After rain and floods meant Liverpool Golf Club spent much of 2022 under water, the sun is shining down on the golf course during the second round of the Harvey Norman Sydney Week of Golf.
Shashank Koirala (The Lakes) and Sahara Hillman-Varma (Concord) lead the way after the opening day. Who will hold the lead at the end of round two?
"Tour Tee" Tee Times - Round 3 - Lakeside Camden
*Tee Times will be available at the completion of play today.......
Koirala Leads Week of Golf at Cabramatta
(5:00pm - Monday 9th January 2023)
Shashank Koirala (The Lakes) has fired a two under par 68 at the testing Cabramatta layout to take the lead at the 2023 Harvey Norman Sydney Week of Golf. Only two players broke par on Monday, Koirala and Jack Phillips (Concord), with a further five players sharing third at level par.
Sahara Hillman-Varma (Concord) was the standout in the Girls Division, firing a two over par 76 to open up a five shot lead. Zoe Arcus (Cromer), Aaniyah Bhola (Concord) and Chloe Zhang (The Lakes) share second after firing 81 on day one.
"Tour Tee" Tee Times - Round 2 - Liverpool GC
2023 Harvey Norman Sydney Week of Golf
(7:00am - Monday 9th January 2023)
The 2023 Harvey Norman Sydney Week of Golf is underway at Cabramtta Golf Club.
One of the longest tournaments anywhere in the world, the five-day 90 Hole Tournament will be played all over Sydney, with more than 150 players registering to take part in the event this year.
The tournament begins at Cabramatta, before moving to Liverpool, Lakeside Camden and Bankstown before finishing at it's traditional home of Muirfield Golf Club on Friday.
