Canning Vale, Western Australia: Overnight leaders Samuel Cascio and Shyla Singh produced mature final rounds at Gosnells Golf Club en route to being crowned 2024 Australian Junior Amateur champions.
For Queenslander Singh, it was a matter of sticking to her plan of remaining calm and consistent. Entering the final round with a three-stroke lead, she didn’t have to try force a score, and her two-over 73 was good enough to earn her the trophy by three shots.
“I’m feeling great. I’m really happy I got it done. The nerves kind of eased after the 14th when I had a four or five shot lead,” said Singh, who posted a winning total of five-under 279 (69-68-69-73).
It was a different story for New South Welshman Cascio, however. Tied at the top to start the day, Cascio’s closing round required a positive approach.
And he delivered perfectly, firing a six-under 64, the equal low round of the week, to claim the title by four shots. His name will be engraved on the trophy alongside the likes of Major winners Adam Scott, Jason Day and Cameron Smith.
Cascio said: “I’m still shaking. I’m just so glad all the hard work paid off. I woke up at 6 am and was pretty nervous.
“I putted really good. I was just trying to stay calm and play like I always do. Everything came together.”
As a reward for their victories, Singh and Cascio will get to tee it up alongside some of the names on the new trophies in their possession in the Australian Open, as well as winning A$1,350 each.
“I missed the qualifying last year by one shot, so I’m happy to be in the field and get to play with the best pros,” said Singh.
While Cascio and Singh both came home with multiple shot wins, there were late charges on both sides of the draw.
Playing alongside Singh, both Victorian Amelia Harris, and runner-up South Australian Raegan Denton gave the eventual champion a scare at certain points. At the midway point, Harris was within two shots of the lead, and Denton finished hot with birdies at 16 and 18 but left her run too late.
New Zealand's Eunseo Choi continued her good form, finishing tied for fourth on 285, while Australian Sarah Hammett, individual runner-up at last month's Queen Sirikit Cup, ended joint 11th on 294.
A few groups ahead of Cascio in the Boys' championship, fellow New South Welshman Kayun Mudadana fired 64 to set the clubhouse lead at five-under. But Cascio held firm, registering a nine-under 271 aggregate (71-69-67-64).
New Zealand's Joshua Bai, runner-up in last year's US Boys' Amateur Championship, ended in a share of ninth place on 283. Bai was a member of the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation team that beat the European Golf Association in the Ryder Cup-style Bonallack Trophy in Spain last year.
