Close to 120 golfers will descend on Howlong Golf Resort and Albury Commercial Golf Club this Sunday for the Srixon NSW Mid Amateur Championship, with three rounds of stroke play standing between them and one of the most coveted titles on the Golf NSW calendar.

Andrew Kirkman from South West Rocks arrives as the clear favourite. The 2023 NSW Country Champion and 2024 NSW Amateur runner-up carries a handicap of +5.9 and has been one of the most consistent performers on the state amateur circuit in recent years. If the form guide means anything, he is the one to beat.

Not far behind is Steven Slappendel from Horizons GR. The former professional turned amateur is carrying serious momentum into this championship. Last month he combined with Lloyd Radcliffe to claim the 2026 Vendi Golf Sand Greens Fourball at Narromine, seeing off more than 200 players from 40 clubs across the state. That was no outlier. Across 2025, Slappendel collected A-grade wins up and down the coast, the Nelson Bay Cup and the Shortland Waters Cup, and shot a 60 at Horizons that left the clubhouse talking for days.

Scott Nolan from Goulburn and Matthew Kirkwood from Hawks Nest are well placed to challenge too. Nolan knows how to score on regional layouts, while Kirkwood arrives in good touch after captaining Hawks Nest to a Division 1 promotion in March, holing the winning birdie putt in a playoff to seal it. Zac Grubisa and Nick Jago, both from Howlong GR, will know the venues better than most. Lindsay Ross, the 2022 champion, is back in the field from Emerald Lakes and will be looking to add to his name.

For the women, Victorian Su Ah Kim from Keysborough GC is the lowest marker on +1.7 and will be the one to watch.

The championship has a rich history since its inception in 2006, with some of the state’s best mid-amateur golfers on the honour roll. Adam Revai won it twice, Andrew Tharle twice, Mark Boulton back-to-back in 2017 and 2018, and Christopher Campbell three times running from 2019 to 2021.

On the women’s side, the honour roll is equally strong. Gemma Dooley has won it five times, Sharon Thompson three, Jan Crichton back-to-back in 2016 and 2017, and Sue Wooster claimed the title as recently as 2024. None are in this year’s field, leaving the title wide open.

All competitors play one round at Howlong and one at Albury Commercial on Sunday 24 and Monday 25 May, with those making the cut returning to Howlong for a seeded final round on Tuesday 26 May.

Live scoring and updates can be found at golfnsw.org.au and across Golf NSW social media.

FAST FACTS

Dates:  Sunday 24 May (Round 1) | Monday 25 May (Round 2) | Tuesday 26 May (Round 3)

Venues:  Howlong Golf Resort & Albury Commercial Golf Club

Format:  54-hole stroke play | Cut after 36 holes