Cascio, Lee Crowned Champions at Macarthur
(2:30pm - Monday 13th June 2023)
Sam Cascio (Bonnie Doon) and Rachel Lee (Avondale) have been crowned champions at the 2023 Macarthur Junior Masters. On a sunny Monday afternoon at Campbelltown and Camden Golf Clubs, Cascio claimed his maiden JNJG title whilst Lee's victory may have just been the most impressive of an already outstanding junior career.
After starting the final round one shot behind overnight leader Sophie Eppelstun (St Michael's), the Girls Division at Camden quickly turned into a one-act affair as Lee dominated her rivals with a breathtaking finish to the tournament. Birdies were hard to come by on the front nine as the leading groups struggled on the lightning fast Camden greens, but once Lee got the pace right the tournament was over very quickly.
Birdies on the 8th and 9th opened up a two shot lead before the Avondale 15 Year Old put the foot down and streaked away from the field. Four more birdies on the back nine made the final margin six shots as Lee signed for a five under par 69 with Michelle Bang (Concord) finishing in second place. Ann Jang (NSW) also finished the tournament in red figures, one shot further back, with young gun Camilla Kim (The Australian) taking home the Girls 13 Years & Under Division.
With Lee cruising to victory in the Girls Division, the Boys playing down at the road at Campbelltown were heading right down to the wire with a number of players in the mix late on Monday afternoon.
Harry Atkinson (Pymble), Ryan Fletcher (Lynwood), Shashank Koirala (The Lakes) and Jamie Smith (Monash) all took turns at making a charge up the leaderboard, with the group of boys finishing in a four-way tie for fourth at two over par. Aksel Thomsen (Wollongong) picked up a birdie on the final hole to jump out of that group and into solo-third, recording his best ever finish on the JNJG Tour.
That left the leading duo to battle it out, with overnight leader Kayun Mudadana (NSW) and Wollongong young-gun Cascio (Bonnie Doon) breaking away from the chasing pack. After trading birdies throughout the final round, the pair stood on the difficult 18th hole at Campbelltown, one of the best finishing holes in golf, locked together at two under par. Cascio, playing in the second-to-last group put the pressure on, with a clutch birdie on the final green to take a one-shot lead.
Mudadana, watching on from across the water, knew a birdie was now needed to force a playoff, hitting a fantastic approach that stopped just below the hole. The birdie try was right on line, stopping agonisingly short and right in the heart, leaving Cascio victorious for the first time at JNJG Tour level. Mudadana picked up the 16-17 Years Division as a consolation, with local boy Nathan Hong (Campbelltown) claiming Boys 13 Years & Under.
Hear from boy's champion Samuel Cascio and Aksel Thompson who placed third.
The shot of the tournament belonged to 11 year old Sophia Chau (playing in the tournament on a special exemption), who aced the par three 14th hole at Campbelltown in the opening round.
Attention now turns to the July School Holidays with one of the biggest tournaments of the year just around the corner!
The NSW Junior Championships (13-17 Years) takes place at Ocean Shores and Byron Bay in the beautiful Northern Rivers with the JNJG 12 Years & Under State Age Championships (players aged 7-12 with an official 18 hole handicap) taking place at Lynwood in Sydney's West.
Final Round Underway at Macarthur
(7:00am - Monday 12th June 2023)
The final round of the 2023 Macarthur Junior Masters is Underway at Campbelltown Golf Club and Camden Golf Club.
Can Sophie Eppelstun (St Michael's) and Kayun Mudadana (NSW) hang on to their overnight leads?
Eppelstun, Mudadana, Take Lead at Macarthur
(5:30pm - Sunday 11th June 2023)
St Michael's Sophie Eppelstun and New South Wales’ Kayun Mudadana are in the lead heading into the final round of the 2023 Macarthur Junior Masters. Both the leaders sit on -4 after their rounds today, but their competition isn’t far behind.
At Campbelltown Golf Club today, Eppulstun had an excellent round with five birdies and only one bogey to finish with a score of 67. Avondale’s Rachel Lee is hot on her heels though, only one shot behind.
Two are currently tied for third in the girls division, those being current Australian Junior Champion Ann Jang (NSW) and Illawarra Junior Masters Champion Michelle Bang (Concord), both on -1.
At Camden Golf Club today, Mudadana’s round included an impressive six birdies and an eagle on the 13th hole. His final score came to 67, two shots ahead of Darcy Mackay of Stonecutters Ridge who sits in second on 69.
The competition will be fierce for the boys division tomorrow, with four players currently tied for third on 70. They are Aaron Valdy (Bonnie Doon), Aksel Thomsen (Wollongong), Harry Atkinson (Pymble) and Samuel Cascio (Bonnie Doon).
Tomorrow is expected to be another sunny winter day, so playing conditions should be prime for the final round which begins at 7:00am.
"Tour Tee Tee Times" - Round 2
Who will be the 2023 Macarthur Junior Masters Champions?
(8:00am - Friday 8th June 2023)
Two new champions will be crowned this long weekend as almost 200 young talents travel from all corners of New South Wales and the ACT to compete in the 2023 Macarthur Junior Masters.
The tournament will take place at Campbelltown Golf Club and Camden Golf Club, with round one getting underway on Sunday morning. The conditions are looking favourable, with no rain and partly sunny skies forecast, with players set to play 18 Holes at each course, each day.
With thirty players on a handicap of scratch or better, it will be a thrilling two days of golf!
Headlining this year’s event is 15-year-old Ann Jang of New South Wales Golf Club, who has scored some impressive titles this year. Jang, who is on the lowest handicap in the field of +4.8, is the current Australian Junior Champion and won the North Coast Junior Masters early last month.
Winning Junior Interstate team member Toby Farrar (The Australian), who has won back-to-back North Coast Junior Master titles, will also be in the mix.
Fellow New South Wales Interstate Team players who are also competing include Rachel Lee (Avondale), Rebecca Zhao (The Lakes), Sophie Eppulstun (Catalina/St. Michael’s), and Lara Thomsen (Wollongong).
Matilda Sullings (Federal), who was in the ACT Junior Interstate Team and who won the 2023 Wagga Wagga Junior Masters, is taking part in the tournament too.
Other 2023 Junior Master Champions in the field include Blake Hodges (New South Wales), who cruised to victory at the Murray River tournament, Ryan Fletcher (Lynwood) and Michelle Bang (Concord) - winners of the Illawarra Junior Masters, Sienna Clarke (St. Michael’s) - the Peter O’Malley Junior Master champion, and Ian Kim (St. Michael’s), who was victorious at the Wagga Wagga Junior Masters.
Local hope Jonathan Hong from Campbelltown Golf Club, on a handicap of +3.5, will be in the mix alongside fellow Campbelltown golfers and Nathan Hong and Zackie Kadir.
Camden Golf Club’s Braxton Reynolds, Cooper McInnes and Libby Newcombe are also vying for a win.
Players will tee off from 8:00am at Campbelltown and 10:15am at Camden on Sunday for the opening round before starting at 7:00am on Monday at both venues.
