Image Gallery Friday 3 February, 2012 Due to heavy rains, rounds 3 & 4 of the NSW Medal, due to be held at Mona Vale Golf Club today, have been cancelled. The NSW Medal and qualifiers for the NSW Amateur Match Play will be determined by the first 36-holes, played Wednesday and Thursday at Long Reef and Mona Vale. Congratulations to Englishman Neil Raymond (pictured) who defeated Brett Drewitt (Long Reef GC) this morning in a play off to determine the 2012 NSW Medal Winner. Both players finished their 36-holes yesterday on 144, and with no further play today a playoff was required for a result. Neil Raymond ensured that England again kept the NSW Stroke Play silverware, defeating Long Reef&aposs Brett Drewitt at the first play-off hole. The play-off was held on Mona Vale&aposs par 3 6th hole. Drewitt held the upper hand after their tee shots, landing safely on the green, while Raymond pulled his shot to the left, before chipping up to 15 feet. Drewitt feeling like a two putt woudl be good enough to take the title tried to lag his first putt to the hole, but unfortunately left himself six feet away after his first putt. The Englishman calmly rolled in his par putt leaving Drewitt a putt to halve the hole, which he failed to make. The first round of matches sees some very interesting contests, with Raymond up against 32nd qualifier, 2011 Australian Amateur Champion, Matt Stieger, who himself survived a play-off to make the match play component of the NSW Amateur. Many compatriots also face up in the first round, with NSW GC&aposs Michael Bell and Micahel Lambert up against each other, as are highly fancied Interstate rivals Brady Watt (WA) and Rory Bourke (Vic). NSW Elite Squad members, Ricky Kato and Daniel Bringolf, should be a great contest and a lot of interest will surround the matches at the bottom of the draw with New Zealanders Tim Leonard and Fraser Wilkin up against each other, as are Ireland&aposs Reeve Whitson and Engalnd&aposs Ashley Chesters. The Irish performed well in the wet weather, with all four visitors through to the match play. Prize Winners The top 32 players have now qualified for the NSW Amateur Match Play to be held at Elanora Golf Club next week, with Raymond and Drewitt the top two seeds. MATCH PLAY DRAW – NSW AMATEUR DRAW – FINAL ROUND NSW MEDAL (36-holes) SCORES – NSW MEDAL SCORES – CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS Wednesday 2 February, 2012 Despite horrendous conditions, the 36 holes were completed today without the need to delay play, which is a credit to both Mona Vale and Long Reef and their ability to cope with the recent wet weather. The 36 hole cut (for the leading 60 players plus ties) was 152, with 36 holes to be played at Mona Vale GC tomorrow. The winner of the Champion of Champions competition was Morriset s David Morgan who followed up his 2 under round of 70 yesterday at Mona Vale with a one over round of 72 today at Long Reef. Best rounds of the day today came from Long Reef s Brett Drewitt with a four under par 68 at Mona Vale, and from Roseville s Cameron Davis. Drewitt leads after two rounds, along with Englishman Neil Raymond, who hopes to ensure that the NSW Medal and Amateur Trophies again see an English name engraved upon them. Those missing out on the cut include pre-tournament favourites Daniel Nisbet (Qld) and Nathan Holman (Vic) who had been the stand out performers early in 2012. Rain greeted the players again on day 2, with scoring again proved to be difficult. The players that bore the worst of the conditions yesterday morning were again up against it, with heavy consistent rain falling throughout the afternoon. One of the leading players after round 1, New Zealand&aposs Tim Leonard, claimed “this is just like home”. Tim&aposs round of 72 yesterday morning was one of the day&aposs best. PLAYER INFORMATION & DRAWS (Rounds 1 and 2) Wednesday 1 February, 2012 It was tough conditions for the first day of play in the 2012 Men’sNSW Amateur Championship, incorporating the NSW Medal and the 2011 Champion of Champions. Around 260 players tee d off for their first round of 18-holes, the field split between Long Reef and Mona Vale Golf Club’s. Those in the afternoon groups were fortunate to experience some dry weather, while those teeing off in the morning were challenged significantly by wind and rain. Good scores were hard to come by, however it was the group at Long Reef who finished the day strongly to lead the field. Englishman Neil Raymond had a great score of four under (67) to take poll position. Former Long Reef member Patrick Wilson, now playing in the College system in the US, had three under (68) to sit comfortably in second. David Morgan (Morriset GC) was the leading player at Mona Vale and finished third overall with two under (70). Irishman Gary Hurley shot one under (70) at Long Reef to sit in fourth position, while a further one shot behind on equal fifth is Jake Higginbottom (The Australian GC), Troy Moses (Glenmore GC) Callan O Reilly (Pennant Hills GC) and Daniel Bringolf (The Australian GC) all shooting an even round at Long Reef, and Kiwi Tim Leonard, Zac Mullins (St. Michaels GC) and Matt Scarfone (Concord GC) who finished square at Mona Vale. Tomorrow the field will swap courses for their second round of 18-holes. Pre-event article The 2012 Men’sNSW Amateur Championship, incorporating the NSW Medal and the 2011 NSW Champion of Champions, is the first major Championship of the year for Golf NSW. It is a major national amateur tournament, and a National and World Ranking Event. The NSW Medal will be played at Mona Vale and Long Reef Golf Clubs on 1, 2 & 3 February 2012. It is four rounds of 18 holes stroke play, played over three days – 18 holes on the first day (Wednesday), 18 holes on the second day (Thursday), and 36 holes on the third day (Friday). The field is evenly divided between the two venues for the first day s play with players changing venues for their second round on the Thursday. The leading 60 players plus ties after the first 36 holes qualify for the final 36 holes on the third day, which will be played at Mona Vale Golf Club. The winner of the 72 holes stroke play section of the Championship is the winner of the 2012 NSW Medal. The 2011 Champion of Champions will be played in conjunction with the first 36 holes of the Medal. The leading 32 players from the NSW Medal will be eligible to compete in the NSW Amateur Championship Match Play. Each match is played over 18 holes other than the Final which is played over 36 holes. The match play will be seeded, and will be played at Elanora Country Club on 6-8 February 2012. The morning session on the first day (Monday) will see all 32 players compete. The afternoon session will have the winning 16 players from the morning session playing another round. Tuesday s morning session, the quarter finals, has eight players competing, while the afternoon session and semi-final will see the top four players challenging for a spot in the Final. Wednesday 8 February is the Final, and the top two players will battle it out over 36 holes to be crowned the 2012 NSW Amateur Champion. All results will be available online during the Championship. For further information please contact Christy Collier.