St Michaels too strong for Port Macquarie
For many years the Eric Apperly Shield has been the symbol of junior golf supremacy in New South Wales and it is logical that this event be dominated by Sydney clubs.
The event is so prestigious that many metropolitan clubs approach promising country juniors to play pennants and Apperly Shield for them. Tim Hyland, who won his second Seaside Classic at Port Macquarie Golf Club a few weeks ago, plays pennants and Apperly Shield for St Michaels.
On Sunday the young Port Macquarie team played St Michaels, who are the current Apperly Shield holders, at The Australian Golf Club in the quarter finals of the Apperly Shield. The Australian is one of the country’s top golf courses and was the venue at which Jordan Spieth won this year’s Australian Open Championship.
The Apperly Shield is for golfers under the age of 21 but the oldest player in the Port Macquarie side is just seventeen and the youngest thirteen.
The defending champions were too strong for the Port Macquarie team, winning four of the matches with the other two halved. The two local boys to halve their match were Jackson Jubelin and Sam Hutchison.
Jubelin, who is just back from the Australian All Schools Championship where he was a member of the successful New South Wales team, played at number one against St Michael’s Daniel Kolar. Jubelin won all but one of his matches at the All Schools Championship and that form continued against his more experienced opponent at The Australian.
Lachlan Richards played at number two but was no match for the much more experienced Seaside Classic winner. Although Hyland plays for St Michaels he lives in Coffs Harbour. He intends to turn professional at the end of the year.
Tom James and Olie Payne are the two youngest members of the Port Macquarie team and it would have been great experience for them to play in this event on such a wonderful golf course. James played at number three and Payne at number four and they lost five and four and six and five respectively.
Tom Biron went down four and three to Weiliang Wang and Hutchison’s square was against Harrison Crowe.
The boys, who all have many years of eligibility for this event, would have learnt a lot from the experience.
Article and photo courtesy of Port Macquarie Golf Club - http://portmacquarie.miclub.com.au/cms/2015/08/apperly-shield-quarter-final ;
