Golf SA has selected its junior state teams for the National Junior Interstate Series in Western Australia in April, with five of the twelve players due to make their representative debuts.
The players will firstly tee it up in the 2018 Australian Boys’ & Girls’ Amateur Championship at Gosnells Golf Club and Royal Perth Golf Club respectively from 11-13 April, before the team’s event gets underway the following week.
After a day’s break the girls’ team will reassemble at Royal Perth from 15-17 April, while the boys head to Hartfield Golf Club from 16-19 April.
Frank Vucic from Glenelg returns to Captain the boys’ team and is joined by fellow club member and 16-year-olds Jack Buchanan and Kyle Hayter from Kooyonga Golf Club.
Three players are making their representative debuts, 16-year-old Will Arnold from Royal Adelaide Golf Club and 17-year-olds Jack Tanner from Glenelg Golf Club and Nick Thompson from The Grange Golf Club.
Newly appointed SA High Performance Director, Adrian Wickstein, will coach the boys’ team for the fourth consecutive year, while SA High Performance Chair Rod Phillips is Team Manager.
South Australia last won the boys series in 2016 (joint winners with NSW).
In the Girls team, returning players are 17-year-old Jin-young Yun from The Grange Golf Club who will captain the side, Charley Jacobs (16) from Glenelg Golf Club along with 15-year-olds Shakira-Ann Kuys from Port Augusta Golf Club and Caitlin Peirce from Royal Adelaide Golf Club.
Making their debuts are 16 year-old Tilly Miels from Bordertown Golf Club and the youngest member of both teams Amelia Whinney (14) from The Grange Golf Club.
Simon MacWhirter, PGA Professional at North Adelaide Golf Course will coach the girls’ team for the third time while Golf SA staff member and 2014 girls’ Captain Alicia Smith is Team Manager.
For the first time, at least since the formation of Golf SA in 2008, a coach (Adrian Wickstein as SA High Performance Director) will attend both the individual tournament and team series to guide and mentor the players.
“While we have three new players, they are an experienced group in the boys’ team and are looking forward to a strong series. Winning the Pacific School Games in December has now set the tone.” Wickstein said.
On the girls,
“Led by our most experienced player Jin, we have some girls who have competed at the higher level before and some fresh new faces who are looking to prove they belong. It will be a great experience for them all to play two national tournaments in WA” Wickstein added.
The full team listings are as follows:
2018 Boys State Team
• Frank Vucic (Glenelg) – 16 year old (Captain)
• William Arnold (Royal Adelaide) – 16
• Jack Buchanan (Glenelg) – 16
• Kyle Hayter (Kooyonga) – 16
• Jack Tanner (Glenelg) – 17
• Nick Thompson (The Grange) – 17
Reserve (Non-travelling)
• Harrison Burner (Glenelg) – 16
• Adrian Wickstein (Coach)
• Rod Phillips (Manager)
2018 Girls State Team
• Jin-Young Yun (The Grange) – 17 years old (Captain)
• Charley Jacobs (Glenelg) – 16
• Shakira-Ann Kuys (Port Augusta) – 15
• Tilly Miels (Bordertown) – 16
• Caitlin Peirce (Royal Adelaide) – 15
• Amelia Whinney (The Grange) – 14
Reserve (Non-travelling)
• Nayoung Ku (Mount Osmond) – 13
• Simon MacWhirter (Coach)
• Alicia Smith (Manager)
Note: ages listed as at first day of competition 11 April 2018