Recognition was long overdue thanks to COVID, but the NSW State Teams for 2021 have finally been honoured.
Despite being unable to compete in the interstate series for a second straight year, Golf NSW has presented both the Junior Boys & Girls and Senior Team their State team uniforms.
The NSW Junior Boys & Girls were presented with their gear after the NSW Junior Championships at Lynwood last week, while the NSW Senior Team had an end-of-year get together at Brighton Lakes on Friday.
Chair of Golf NSW, Mr Michael Medway, said the recognition of state team honours was important to the organisation and a worthy moment in the careers of the players selected, despite there being no interstate series for the second year running.
“Receiving state representative honours is an incredible achievement in any sport, golf included.
“We still felt honouring our best was important. Some of these athletes will certainly leave their mark in our sport, and in the years to come, they will look back fondly at the time they were selected to ‘don the Blue.”
Mr Medway added that despite minimal opportunities, several team members had shone brightly over the last 12 months.
“The Silverware this squad has managed to capture in the past year has been amazing.
“Grace Kim, NSW and Australian Amateur Champion, and now ready to embark on what will be an outstanding professional career.
“Kelsey Bennett, who has won almost everything; A Tasmanian Open, the Northern Territory Amateur, second place in the Asia-Pacific Women’s Amateur and then just last week, the Victorian Amateur.
“There’s Harrison Crowe; with not much to play in, he successfully defends his Victorian Amateur Crown, and Jeffrey Guan, the NSW and Australian Junior Champion who is ready to take on the world.
“The organisation are extremely excited with what’s on the horizon.
“The pinnacle will be winning a clean sweep of the 2022 interstate teams matches,” Mr Medway added.
Teams
NSW Team 2021
Kelsey Bennett
Harry Bolton
Harrison Crowe
Christopher Fan
Jeffrey Guan
Stefanie Hall
Belinda Ji
Grace Kim
Andrew Richards
Jye Pickin
June Song
Sophie Yip
NSW Boys Team 2021
Jye Halls
Jeffrey Guan
Daley Loumanis
Ali Rachid
Jake Riley
Joshua Todd
NSW Girls Team 2021
Michelle Di Natale
Rachel Lee
Brielle Mapanao
Charlotte Perkins
Ella Scaysbrook
Sophie Yip