Harris would be one of the youngest-ever winners of the national championship, although Kiwi Lydia Ko’s landmark – she won as a 14-year-old in 2011 at Woodlands Golf Club – stands as the record.
Gale needed his first hole-in-one in competition since his very first as a 12-year-old over the closing stages and a gritty par at the last for a 12-under total and one-shot win over Matt Griffin.
This week’s Sandbelt Invitational is an opportunity for the veterans of Australian golf to impart their wisdom and experience onto the next generation.