Two New South Wales golfers are the new adidas Australian Amateur champions after completing dominant wins at Commonwealth Golf Club in Melbourne today.
Rachel Lee, from the Avondale Golf Club, claimed the women’s title by three shots over Queensland’s Sarah Hammett after being in control throughout the final round, while Jye Halls (NSW Golf Club) produced one of the rounds of the day to secure a seven-shot margin in the men’s event.
Originally from Mollymook on the NSW South Coast, Halls defied windy conditions to shoot a six-under-par 67 to end the championship at 15-under-par, with Victorian Hamish Farquharson (Metropolitan GC) claiming second thanks to a closing 68.
Although she battled to a final round of four-over-par 77 to finish at nine-under-par, Lee emulated her Avondale clubmate, Grace Kim, who was the last Australian victor in the national championship in 2021 before going on to win on the LPGA Tour just three years later.
“This is unreal,” Lee said after being showered with water by her NSW teammates after holing out on the 18th green. “I’m really excited and pretty stoked. It will probably wear off after a bit, but I’m really thrilled that I won this event.”
Lee, who lists reigning ISPS Handa Australian Open champion Jiyai Shin as her favourite golfer, took the lead after the second round when she shot an equal course record 65 at co-host Cranbourne Golf Club.
The only slight opening for Hammett today came at the tricky par-3 ninth where Lee’s tee shot ended up semi-plugged in a greenside bunker, leading to a bladed sand wedge which flew over the green. She walked off with a double-bogey and her lead was cut to three.
A bogey on 11 and a double-bogey on 12 from the Queenslander restored Lee’s five-shot gap and despite back-to-back bogeys on 15 and 16 she didn’t look like being headed.
“There were some nerves, especially on day three. It was really nerve-wracking,” Lee said. “Day four, I think I was a little bit more calm for no reason, but definitely a few nerves here and there.”
In the men’s event, Halls started the final round one shot behind Declan O’Donovan (Avondale GC), but seized the lead by starting with three consecutive birdies
“I was very nervous teeing off with the tough conditions today,” Halls said. “I played very smart though and took advantage of the downwind holes and played really solid all day.
“The first two holes are definitely very gettable and I did a good job of birding those two then yeah, got a bonus one on the third hole.”
Halls’ only bogey of the day came at the 11th after missing the green long, but the NSW Golf Club member brushed it off and proceeded to make three more birdies coming in just to make sure of things.
Although on the outside it looked as if nothing could unnerve Halls, he said that wasn’t the case in reality, but his years on the cliffs at his home course helped him home.
“I was definitely nervous, definitely at the start, but they settled down towards the back nine,” he said. “We get a lot of wind out at New South and that definitely played a helping hand today.”
Having a number of accolades to his name, including the 2024 Queensland Strokeplay Championship, as well as the low amateur honours at last year’s NSW Open, but an Australian Amateur is a huge addition to his resume.
“This definitely gives me a lot of confidence going into the next few tournaments,” he said. “Knowing that my best golf can win pretty much anywhere is huge, I look forward to the next few.”