Golf SA has selected its junior state sides for April's national Junior Interstate Series in Adelaide, with five of the twelve players due to make their representative debuts.
In the state Boy's side, Glenelg’s Lachlan Barker and Billy Cawthorne from Royal Adelaide are the only returning players.
The four players to make their debuts are; Liam Georgiadis (Grange), Joseph Hodgson (Kooyonga), Travis Miller (Kooyonga) and Port Lincoln local Jack Thompson (Grange).
“We are looking forward to playing the championship and boys team series in Adelaide for the first time since 2002. Playing on home soil, the boys will be hopeful of repeating their success of 2012” said Chair of Golf SA HP Tony Bourne.
Barker who recently moved to Glenelg Golf Club from Willunga Golf Club, has the honour of captaining the side. Barker ranked 21st nationally, is currently leading the Junior Vardon averages by more than three strokes after 19 rounds and was the leading South Australian in the SA Junior Master in January. He also placed third in the SA Junior Amateur behind winner Will Starkey who has since turned 18 and is ineligible for series.
Billy Cawthorne has also posted some solid recent results, finishing 8th in the SA Junior Masters, the next eligible player after Barker. Last Pennant season, Cawthorne gained some valuable match play experience, playing a number of matches at the challenging number one position for Royal Adelaide’s Simpson Cup team.
Sixteen year old, Liam Georgiadis, having claimed the first SA Junior Open of the Summer and currently third in the Junior Vardon Averages gets his chance to represent SA for the first time.
The one inclusion to the SA Girls side is Jin-Young Yun from The Grange. Returning players are Ella Adams, Kristalle Blum, Cassidy Evreniadis and Emma Sutton, all from The Grange Golf Club and Matilda Wheare from Glenelg Golf Club.
“As five of the girls have had experience at interstate level in previous years, we are confident the experience gained and playing on a local course, will give us a big chance of improving our final standing against last year.” said Bourne.
The Girls Interstate Series was last held locally at Glenelg Golf Club in 2005.
Ranked 23rd nationally, Cassidy Evreniadis will captain the girls’ side. Evreniadis won the opening two SA Junior Opens of the summer.
Ella Adams ranked 15th nationally, will be hoping to continue her fine form after finishing as the leading local player in the SA Junior Masters in third positon, followed by a career best win by claiming the SA Junior Amateur in mid-January.
The Australian Boys' Interstate Matches will be played from 13 – 16 April 2015 at the Links Lady Bay Golf Club, SA.
The Australian Girls' Interstate Matches will be played from 13 – 15 April 2015 at the Fleurieu Golf Club, SA.
The full team listings are as follows:
2015 Boys State Team
• Lachlan Barker (Captain) (Glenelg)
• Billy Cawthorne (Royal Adelaide)
• Liam Georgiadis (The Grange)
• Joseph Hodgson (Kooyonga)
• Travis Miller (Kooyonga)
• Jack Thompson (The Grange)
Reserves
• Michael Coleman (The Grange)
• Ben Layton (Glenelg)
• (Coach) Adrian Wickstein
• (Manager) Christian Puccini
2015 Girls State Team
• Cassidy Evreniadis (Captain) (The Grange)
• Ella Adams (The Grange)
• Kristalle Blum (The Grange)
• Emma Sutton (The Grange)
• Matilda Wheare (Glenelg)
• Jin-Young Yun (The Grange)
Reserves
• Morgan Pfitzner (The Grange)
• Charley Jacobs (Ardrossan)
• (Coach) Jamie Clutterham
• (Manager) Leah Tattersall