SIX NSW athletes, including Milton’s Kelsey Bennett, have been recognised as finalists for the outstanding male and female amateur player of the year crown at the NSW Golf Industry Awards.
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The six finalists are Bennett, Doey Choi and Sophie Yip (female), Nathan Barbieri, Harrison Crowe and Blake Windred (male).
Bennett announced her arrival onto the Australian amateur golf scene with a ninth place finish to be the highest finishing Australian after the medal rounds of this year’s Australian Amateur Championship in Perth, Western Australia.
In May, she was part of the women’s NSW team that took out the Australian Interstate Team’s title in Adelaide, South Australia.
Sophie Yip qualified for this year’s United States women’s amateur at the tender age of 13.
Already a prodigious winner in the junior ranks, Yip was also named a member of the 2018 NSW women’s team that took out the Australian Women’s Interstate teams title.
Doey Choi began her remarkable year with a runnners-up finish in the NSW Women’s Amateur Championship.
She quickly followed it up with the Low Amateur trophy at the ALPG’s ActewAGL Canberra Classic.
Choi was also a member of the NSW team which took out the Australian Interstate Teams title.
In June, Choi underlined the belief of many she is a budding star of the sport with a run of impressive results in the US, including a quarter final appearance at the US Junior Girls at Poppy Hills in California.
Nathan Barbieri burst onto the radar of many by qualifying for last years’ Emirates Australian Open before going on to be one of the standout performers for NSW at the Australian Interstate Teams title in Adelaide.
Barbieri then headed to the US and came home with a string of impressive results to his name including a runners-up finish at the Sahalee Players, two top-five placings, and a top 10 from six starts.
Harrison Crowe became the first male since Ruben Sondjaja in 2013 to be selected for the NSW Boy’s and Men’s Interstate teams in the same year.
In August, Crowe took out the Australian All Schools title at Bonville Golf Resort.
Blake Windred started 2018 with his first major win as a senior representative at the Avondale Amateur, before following it up the next week with a third-place finish at the NSW Amateur.
Windred was an integral part of the NSW Men’s team at the Australian Interstate Teams matches in May.
During July and August, Windred played some of the best golf of his fledgling career while recording a seventh place finish in the European Amateur in the Netherlands, and a runners-up finish in the Porter Cup in New York.
General manager of golf Graeme Phillipson congratulated the finalists on their fantastic recent results.
“All six players have performed exceptionally well,” Phillipson said.
“It’s a real thrill to be able to watch first hand how they have developed as athletes, and exciting to think where they sport could take them.”
The evening is a first for the six hosting organisations, Golf NSW, The PGA of Australia (NSW/ACT), Golf Management Australia (NSW), Jack Newton Junior Golf (JNJG), the NSW Golf Course Superintendents Association (NSWGCSA), and the Australian Ladies Professional Golf (ALPG) who have come together to celebrate the outstanding achievements of many of our sports best.
The winners of the players of the year categories will be announced at the NSW Golf Industry Awards night on Monday, October 22, at Curzon Hall, Marsfield.
