WOLLONGONG ADVERTISER
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Four young golfers from the Illawarra are mixing it with the state’s best this week at the 2014 Subaru State Championships.
The four-day event, which started on Tuesday, will be played at Wollongong Golf Club and The Links Shell Cove course until Friday, July 4.
A field of 292 competitors are battling it out for the coveted title of NSW Junior Boys and Girls Champion.
Ben Aramayo from Wollongong and Shellharbour golfer Jack Kessell are part of the 76 NSW boys who will be up against 40 international and interstate competitors.
Blake Windred (Monash) and Mitchell Gannon (Bonnie Doon) look to be NSW’s best bet of beating interstate hot shots Matias Sanchez
(Victoria), James Macklin (Queensland) and Ben Tucker (South Australia), as well as New Zealander Henry Spring.
Stefanie Hall from Flinders is hoping to use her local knowledge to secure victory in the tough girls’ field, which includes 55 NSW competitors and 21 international and interstate golfers.
Jackie Hall said her 14-year-old daughter was confident of doing well.
‘‘Stefanie has been playing well lately for her Sydney club St Michael’s,’’ Mrs Hall said.
‘‘She has played in a lot of tournaments at different courses which should stand her in good stead.
‘‘She also has good knowledge of both Wollongong and The Links, as she is a member of both clubs.’’
Rising Wollongong golfer Cass Graham also fancies her chances.
Concord junior Shelly Shin is seen as the favourite to capture the girls championship. Jess Lasky (The Australian club) is also hoping to win the title for NSW.
She faces tough competition from Kono Matsumoto (Victoria), Becky Kay (Qld) and Kristalle Blum (SA).
The junior girls and boys play one round each at Wollongong and The Links in the first two days.