Kew Country Club golfer Fletcher Murray came within a whisker of winning the North Coast Junior Masters last year and will take up the challenge again this weekend on May 18.
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Murray gets another chance to put his name on the trophy as he, along with more than 100 others compete on the testing Kew Country Club layout.
Two-time defending champion Jye Pickin has left the junior ranks, opening the door for a new champion this year and for Murray, now is as good a time as any.
The 16 year old was recently selected as one of four development players to travel with the NSW Junior Boys State Team to the Australian Junior Championships, whilst also earning selection in the 2019 Srixon JNJG Talent Development Squad.
Murray will face stiff opposition at the Junior Masters, with one of the strongest fields of the year making their way to the North Coast.
Three of the six NSW Junior State Team players will be competing with Concord's Corey Lamb, Newcastle's Josh Robards and The Australian's Jeffrey Guan heading into the tournament as deserved favourites.
Alongside Murray, fellow development players Ali Rachid from Kogarah and Jacob Dundas from Toronto will also take part having been in fantastic recent form, with a number of the recently selected talent development squad players also teeing it up.
The defending champion will be present in the Girls Division with 2018 champion Yerin Kim from Strathfield looking for yet another JNJG Junior Masters title.
Kim and Central Coast junior Annika Boyd from Pymble have dominated the Junior Masters events over the past 12 months, with the two 17 year olds set to fight out for overall honours once again.
There is something in the water on the Lower North Coast that the girl golfers seem to be drinking, with the local contingent stronger than ever in 2019.
Kew's Pyper Hollis will be looking to win her local Junior Masters event with one final attempt before turning 18, whilst fellow Kew CC members Vanna Limeburner and Quedesha Golledge hope local knowledge will help them win their own age divisions.
Port Macquarie pair Madeleine Laws Farrell and Ella Scaysbrook will also make the short drive down to Kew, looking to keep the majority of the Girls trophies in the Lower North Coast District.
One interesting player is Ann Jang from Toukley, who is playing off four handicap and is already a winner of several age divisions in this years Masters.
The Lower North Coast District Golf Association is very proud that they will have thirteen players in the field and are hopeful of winning several of the age divisions in both male and female sections.
This is the competitions fifth consecutive year bringing together a field over 100 of the best young male and female golfers in the state.
Players must be under 18 years of age at the time of the tournament and must have a registered Golf Australia handicap.
Round one begins on Saturday, May 18 at 11:45am, with the second round getting underway on Sunday morning, May 19 at 7:45am.
Dale Hughes is a tournament and events manager for Jack Newton Junior Golf.
Howard Burrows is a tournament coordinator at Kew Country Club.
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