Tony Gresham loved the New South Wales Amateur championship, so it’s only fitting that on the day he’s farewelled, stellar battles for the time-honoured crowns play out in matches befitting his genius.
At the halfway point of the 36-hole finals at Stonecutters Ridge, Declan O’Donovan is yet to miss a green in his men’s title defence and leads fellow Sydneysider Daley Loumanis 2-up
And in the all-Queensland women’s final, a pair of late birdies by 2023 champion Shyla Singh drew her level with medallist Grace Rho after 18.
No fewer than six holes have been won by birdies in an entertaining women’s match, but there has never been more than one hole advantage to either player.
Related Links:
2025 Men’s NSW Medal
2025 Women’s Strokeplay
2025 Men’s Champion of Club Champions
2025 NSW Amateur – Men (Matchplay)
2025 NSW Amateur – Women (Matchplay)
The men’s putters haven’t been as hot, but it hasn’t blotted a quality contest.
They exchanged two birdies each in the first five holes, but there were no more until O’Donovan broke the seal on the 10th and 13th greens after sensational approaches.
First Loumanis and then O’Donovan had extraordinary slow-speed lip-outs on birdie tries and had either caught fire with the blade, the ball-striking would have ensured a runaway leader.
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Loumanis, of St Michael’s, leaked his approach to the par-5 10thgreen into the right water and found his approaches to the 15thand 18th within centimetres of the putting surfaces – effectively meaning the pair has hit 35 of a possible 36 greens.
Players will wear black ribbons when the matches resume to honour Gresham, a three-time NSW Amateur champ and six time NSW Amateur medallist who died earlier this week aged 84.
Gresham, a seven-time Australian representative at the Eisenhower Cup and long-time member of nearby Pennant Hills, was revered around the world as one of the last great amateur players.
The closing 18s will be televised on the Golf NSW website. The broadcast will begin at midday.
