Jeffrey Guan has proven to be the man of the moment, claiming back-to-back NSW Junior titles at Lynwood Golf club after a two-hole playoff over Jye Halls.
It was a nail-biter in the end, with the pair unable to be split after the regulation 72 holes.
After beginning the day in reach of the leader, local hope Toby Farrar, it was Halls who made the first move, moving to the lead at the halfway mark following a blemish free front nine of 32.
When Halls dropped a shot on the par four 11th, and Farrar binned his birdie, suddenly the local hope was the back in the mix and the player they were all chasing.
Guan, however, was never far away, and the reigning Australian Junior Champion had his first sniff of the lead with birdie on the 12th before moving to the outright lead with the first of three birdies in a row from the 14th.
Halls, now the chaser, responded with his first of three birdies in a row on the 15th to square the ledger.
The pair traded birdies on the 16th, and when Halls birdied the 17th, the NSW Junior state team mates were tied heading to the last. Sadly, neither could convert their chances on the last, and extra holes were needed.
With a sizeable gallery following, the pair both had looks at birdie on the first playoff hole. Guan first away could only watch while his attempt slid by. Halls, inside Guan had a little slider which required some precision. Sadly he couldn’t coax it into the hole and the pair were off to the 18th.
After both players getting their drives safely away on the last, Guan, playing first, left his approach short of the front trap. Halls taking a more aggressive approach, hung his approach to the right, leaving him facing a delicate chip.
Guan, first away, safely chipped to about 1 1/2 metres, while halls could only look on as his attempt pulled up about 3 metres short. When Hall missed his putt for birdie, Guan calmly slotted his birdie to retain his junior crown.
Juean Jang Claims Girls Crown
Juean Jang has held on to claim the Junior girls crown, carding a final round one under par 71.
The Toukley junior was never headed in the final round, and stamped her authority over the field in the final round with three birdies in her opening nine holes this morning.
Avondale’s Rachel Lee finished in second place two shots behind Jang, while The Lakes Rebecca Zhao finished in third at five over par.
