Stephanie Bunque and Lachlan Barker win their divisions in the
South Australia Amateur
Golf Australia photos
Women's Amateur
17 year old, Stephanie Bunque from Victoria Golf
Club is the South Australian Women’s Amateur
Champion defeating Jenny Lee from Glenelg Golf
Club 2&1 in the State Final played at Kooyonga.
Bunque who was second qualifier moved through
to the match play final after defeating Ebony
Heard 4&2 and Sophie Cusack 2up.
Coming into the state final Bunque was relatively
confident admitting she didn’t know too much
about Jenny Lee having not played many women’s
events.
“I felt really confident in myself, I’ve been playing
pretty solid this week and I knew that my practice
was going to get me to where I needed to be so I
was pretty confident coming in”. Bunque said.
“I just came off recent jaw surgery so I was off
for about a month or two but I’ve really worked
hard over the past month.”
Bunque was 2up after 18 and playing solid golf.
“I was pretty comfortable with how I was playing
early on. I won the first hole then we halved a
couple, then I won a few here and there and I got
out to 4 up but I lost 15 and 16 which brought me
back to 2up.”
Bunque’s intentions were more of the same for
the second round, playing the course as it comes.
“I was just trying to maintain what I already had,
and not try and do anything silly, just play really
conservative and not worry about what Jenny was
doing and try and play my own game and play
against the course”.
After 27 holes, Bunque moved to 5up but the
margin was reduced back to two with two to play.
“I made a couple of slip ups, I lost a few holes in
a row but I still stuck to my own game plan.”
Lee had momentum but crucially missed the
green finding the bunker on the Par 3 14th. Par
was enough for Bunque to win the hole and move
three ahead with four to play.
Lee pegged another back, but with Bunque two
ahead and a hitting a great second shot to find
the green on 17, the match was all but over.
“As I was walking up to it, it looked closer that
what I thought and then I had a look from behind
the ball and there wasn’t much to it, so I was like
'just drill it home' and then you’re done. My putt
lipped out lower side for birdie and I was so
shattered and a bit disheartened but still
managed to get it done with par”.
Being her first big win Bunque felt elated post
tournament.
“I’m really stoked with the win, I didn’t think I
would have square the first day of strokeplay at
Tea Tree Gully so that really set the tone for me. I
think it really boosted my confidence.”
“I’m been doing a bit more mental stuff just
trying to stay in the moment, not get ahead of
myself just hit one shot at a time. I wasn’t as
nervous as I though today, I was definitely
shaking over my last putt, but it was all good.”
“It’s just awesome, it’s my first big win and it has
really given me a huge confidence booster into
the summer tournament season I guess, like a
self-motivator, now I know I can do it.”
Men's Amateur
Lachlan Barker from The Glenelg Golf Club has
defeated fellow clubman Sam Earl on the 35th
hole to win the South Australian Amateur
Championship 2&1.
It was Barkers first state title and being only 16
years old, its likely to not be his last.
Hosted by Kooyonga, the morning round was
played in sunny conditions with a light breeze and
after 18 holes Barker was 3up.
“At the start of the day there weren’t many
people around and it was very quiet, it was
actually a good environment to start the round."
Barker said.
“The first nine I got off to a good start, I was
bogey free and made a couple of putts and I was
4up after nine, so it was the perfect start.
“Then on the back nine, Sam started playing
some better golf and I let a couple go and it got
back to one at one stage, but then I finished the
round off strong winning 16 and 17 and ended up
3up at the turn”.
After a short lunch break the players continued
along in prefect conditions.
“I tried to stick to my game plan for the whole
week, which was to play the percentage shots and
hit greens in regulation and I knew if I did that,
the putts would fall eventually so I stuck to it and
it worked for me.”
The score got back to square after 31 holes with
Earl starting to make his move.
“Early in the second round Sam was solid, he only
had one bogey so he was 2 or 3 under and I
wasn’t keeping up and it was back to square on
13, but then I answered back on 14 and put one
stiff, which was a good feeling”.
“I was feeling nervous on 16 tee (34th) but when
I hit my approach into the green it calmed me
down and I knew I could hole the putt, which I
did, which was good.”
Barker moved to 2up with two to play and won
when both players agreed to pick up with short
par putts on the 17th green.
“Its good to win my first ever ranking event. I’m
very pleased with that. I’ve played this event the
last two years and missed the cut both times, so
its my first made cut”.
“Over winter I haven’t really been playing a lot of
golf, it’s sort of being building up, working in the
gym, doing physio with the Golf SA High
Performance Team and I was lucky enough to go
to a Golf Australian Camp in August, where I
gained access to some great people to build up
my game to where it is now, ready for
tournament golf.”
It was a big day for Glenelg Golf Club with the
Club represented by both finalists and Jenny Lee
in the women’s final.
“Three of the four finalists were from Glenelg,
that was really special. Playing Sam it was good
to see two Glenelg players in the final. Of course I
wanted to win, but I wouldn’t have been that
disappointed to see Sam go on and win. And it
was great to see the support from the Glenelg
people, there were a lot of Glenelg Members out
walking around”. Barker said.
Those thoughts were echoed by Glenelg Golf Club
General Manger David Brand.
“The Club is very happy for Lachy and Sam and
Jenny for making the final. It’s another indication
of how strong our golfing program is progressing.
We have spent a lot of time over the past few
years putting together a world’s best practice
program for our members through our Golf
Operations team led by Shane Robinson and
Gareth Jones”. Brand said.
Barker has performed exceptionally well in the
match play format in recent times, only losing one
match for Glenelg during the Pennant season, he
won his last five matches of the junior interstate
series and won two from four in the senior series.
“I’m so appreciative of everyone who has been
involved with my golf lately. Golf SA, Glenelg Golf
Club, Willunga. There were a few Willunga people
out supporting today aswell which was good to
see. I’m still a member out there, I have dual
membership. I would like to especially thank my
parents driving from Willunga four to five times a
week and that’s two trips, there and back. My
family have been a huge help”.
Barker has a solid schedule over the next few
months up until the Australian Amateur in
January.
“Hopefully this can kick off a big summer of golf
for me. I’ve got Keperra Bowl coming up, followed
by the Aaron Baddeley Australian final and then
after that I’m probably going to focus on school a
bit with year 11 exams. If all is well I will
hopefully play the Dunes at the end of November
and the Greg Norman Junior Masters before
Christmas.”
Barker is coached by SA State Coach Gareth
Jones who has been offering his support to his
pupil.
“Gareth is over in Japan at the moment and has
sent me a couple of messages over the week to
rev me up, it’s been great working with him.”
Barker is the first Glenelg member to win the
South Australian Men’s Amateur Championship
since Ben Tuohy in 2003.