The Victorian Golf Industry came together on Saturday 1 June to celebrate the contributions of many outstanding individuals and clubs within the sport. Representatives from Golf Victoria, the PGA of Australia and Golf Management Victoria gathered at the MCG to witness a number of new inductees to the Victorian Golf Industry Hall of Fame including three time Australian Open champion Ossie Pickworth, PGA Professional Brian Twite OAM, David Graham, Susie Tolhurst, Harry Williams, Gladys Hay, The Hon Michael Scott, Eveline McKenzie, Joan Fisher, Mick Ryan, Nellie Gatehouse, Margaret Masters and Kevin Hartley. It really is a fantastic evening for all the major stakeholders within Victorian golf to come together to recognise some outstanding achievements and accomplishments of individuals and clubs. Congratulations to all those that were recognised throughout the night, said Simon Brookhouse CEO of Golf Victoria. The evening celebrated the collaboration of the Victorian Golf Industry highlighted by Su-Hyun Oh taking out the Female Amateur of the Year as well as her coach and PGA Professional Matt Cleverdon, who claimed the Victorian Teaching Professional of the Year. Cleverdon has worked with Oh helping her rise to be the number two ranked female amateur in the world and most notably runner-up at the Australian Ladies Masters in 2012 behind Karrie Webb. Along with his work with Oh and other elite amateurs and Touring Professionals, Cleverdon has opened the Matt Cleverdon Golf Academy in China where he has developed a number of junior programs. Winning the Male Amateur of the Year was Nathan Holman who s achievements in 2012 were numerous but highlighted by his Master of the Amateurs title, qualifying for the Scottish and US Amateur tournaments as well as the leading all amateurs and finishing runner-up at the PGA Tour of Australasia s Victorian Open Championship early in 2013. Underlining the Volunteer of the Year awards were Bruce Harding and Jan Jelleff who were named Melbourne Metropolitan Area winners whilst the Country Victoria awards were taken out by Howard McCelland and Glenda Clarke. While not an award winner, Jarrod Lyle stole the limelight with his honest and humorous presentation to the room. Speaking with the Master of Ceremonies Mike Rabbitt, Lyle spoke on everything from his first golf experiences, his battle with cancer, his family, friendship with Robert Allenby, his time on Tour and of course his infamous hole in one at the Phoenix Waste Management Open. The evening was a wonderful opportunity to recognise and celebrate the dedication and hard work of so many that made 2012 another successful year for golf in Victoria. The Victorian Golf Industry is diverse and complex, and relies on many individuals working together to ensure golf thrives in our great sporting state, said David Tapping, Executive Officer of the Southern Division of the PGA of Australia. Through these awards we recognise the achievements of many individuals and I would like to congratulate and thank them for their efforts. It is because of these individuals and many others across the state that we continue to achieve success and I look forward to another outstanding year in 2013. All other Victorian Golf Industry Award winners on the night included: 2012 Bruce Green Victorian Club Professional of the Year Marcus Leiberman (Phillip Island Golf Club) 2012 Victorian Golf Operations Professional of the Year Garry Burness (The Heritage Golf and Country Club) 2011/2012 Victorian Order of Merit Leighton Lyle 2012 Victorian E-Z-GO PGA Legends Tour Order of Merit, Player of the Year & Rookie of the Year Kym Olsen 2012 Victorian PGA Trainee of the Year & 2012 Golf Digest Trainee of the Year Quinton Howe 2012 National Trainee of the Year Jack Wilson PGA Trainee Pro-Am of the Year Mansfield Golf Club 2012/2013 PGA Pro-Am of the Year with an open prizepurse Penfold Motors Box Hill Pro-Am 2012/2013 PGA Pro-Am of the Year with a prize purse of $10,000 – $20,000 Rosebud Country Club Pro-Am 2012/2013 PGA Victorian Pro-Am Course of the Year Yarra Yarra Golf Club 2012/2013 PGA Victorian Regional Pro-Am of the Year Barwon Cleaning Supplies Portarlington Golf Club Pro-Am 2012/2013 PGA Victorian Regional Pro-Am Course of the Year Portarlington Golf Club Victorian E-Z-GO PGA Legends Tour Pro-Am of the Year The National Legends Charity Pro-Am 2013 Graduating PGA Trainees: Matthew Buff, Benjamin Ferrif, Daniel Materazzo, Willie Moore, Baden Schaff, Rick Warren, Cameron Aisher, Tom Dreher, Quinton Howe, Christopher Mierzwa, Daniel Robertson, Christopher Thorn, Toby Wilcox
Author: Golf Victoria