Sydney amateur Daley Loumanis, who beat the pros at South Wests Rocks, alongside Jayden Cripps after the pair secured places in the field for the upcoming NSW Open.
SEVERE weather conditions played a major role, but some talented young as well as a few more ‘senior’ golfers prevailed at Golf NSW events played around the North Coast of NSW in recent weeks.
The events were all qualifiers for the prestigious 2025 Ford NSW Open, so quality fields were assured.
Yet events at Teven and Coffs Harbour had to be reduced in rounds as courses became unplayable and conditions deteriorated during what has been a wet winter for golf in the Premier State.
Victorian Ben Henkel secured his second Ford NSW Open Regional Qualifying title after severe weather forced officials to abandon play at Teven Valley Golf Course and declare the tournament complete after just 18 holes.
Henkel, who led by two shots after Friday’s opening round, was declared the winner when play was called off for the third and final time late on Saturday following torrential rain that saw the course receive almost 50mm in under two hours.
Henkel’s brilliant bogey-free, seven-under-par 51 in the opening round proved decisive on the Craig Parry-designed layout.
“I would have loved to obviously win playing 36 holes,” said Henkel.
“I was going all right today; I think I was even par and maybe one or two ahead still and had a good birdie chance before the final siren went.”
Ben Henkel was a winner of the NSW Open qualifier at the rain-shortened Tevan event.
With the weather ensuring an early end to the day, the coveted Ford NSW Open qualifying spots were decided on a countback from scores in Friday’s opening round.
Queenslander Dillon Hart (-5), Kiama’s Will Diabarra (-3), and Sydneysider Neven Basic (-3) took the spots.
Then it was on to South West Rocks where St Michaels amateur Daley Loumanis delivered the biggest performance of his career to claim a one-shot win at their qualifying event.
The 22-year-old who began the final round three shots behind overnight leader Lincoln Tighe, delivered when it mattered most with a tearaway opening nine, five-under-par 31, to set the foundation for his barnstorming win.
Starting his day on the 10th hole, the Sydney-based university student fired off birdies on the 12th, 13th, 15th, and 17th before producing the shot of the day – a spectacular eagle from off the green on the 18th hole, his ninth hole.
The win capped off what has been a breakthrough year for the young amateur, who earlier this year finished runner-up to Declan O’Donovan in the NSW Amateur Championship at Stonecutters Ridge.
When the dust settled at South West Rocks Country Club, it was Loumanis, Louis Dobbelaar and Sydney’s Jayden Cripps who secured their coveted NSW Open spots in November at The Vintage.
Next it was on to Coffs Harbour Golf Club for their North Coast Open and regional qualifier which saw Josh Armstrong claim victory at another event that had to be shortened to a one-round shootout.
Armstrong fired a flawless seven-under-par round to secure the win, despite not realising he had done enough.
Canberran Josh Armstrong qualified for the NSW Open with his win at Coffs Harbour.
After rain forced organisers to reduce the tournament to a single round, the pressure was dialled up with a $50,000 prize purse and three coveted qualifying spots for the 2025 Ford NSW Open on the line.
“A little bit of a surprise,” said Armstrong. “To be honest, I thought I had to hole that putt on the last but turns out the other boys had done the work for me.”
The leaderboard was tight all day, with several players jostling for position.
Local favourite Jack Pountney and Sydney’s Nathan Barbieri were in the mix, going shot for shot down the stretch.
Meanwhile, Armstrong, who was just one group behind, held his nerve, needing only a par on the last to claim victory.
The 24-year-old from Canberra played a bogey-free round and credited his strong short game for getting him across the line.
Pountney finished in a three-way tie for second at six-under alongside Barbieri and Dillon Hart.
Christopher Wood secured the final qualifying place with a five-under finish, helped by a hot start.
Remaining NSW Open qualifying events will be played at Catalina Club Batemans Bay (Sept 17-19) and Queanbeyan GC (Sept 21-23).
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