Billy Dowling and Belinda Ji crowned South Australian Amateur champions
Billy Dowling & Belinda Ji (Golf Australia photo)
Billy Dowling and Belinda Ji have added their names to the storied history of the South Australian Amateur Championship, clinching the men's and women's individual titles at the iconic Kooyonga Golf Club in Lockleys, Australia.
Dowling from Queensland secured the men's title with a hard-fought 1 UP victory over New South Wales' Kayun Mudananan. The fourth seed after rounds of 71-73 in stroke play, Dowling’s path through the match play bracket was one of dominance and precision.
He opened with a resounding 5 & 4 victory over local favorite Heath Riches, followed by a solid 3 & 2 win against Tyler Talbot in the quarterfinals. Dowling continued his march with a 4 & 3 triumph over Perth's Adam Baillie in the semis before capping his week with a thrilling final showdown.
Dowling's next stop is Gotemba, Japan, where he’ll make his second appearance in the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, looking to build on last year's impressive T-10 finish. His 2024 campaign has already been impressive, with a win at the Pacific Harbour Amateur, a runner-up finish at the Avondale Amateur, and low amateur honors at the PGA Tour of Australasia’s Vic Open with a T-6 finish.
In 2023, Dowling claimed the Queensland Amateur and Gary Player Classic titles and notched a T-8 finish at the Australian Boys’ Amateur. He was also awarded the prestigious Cameron Smith Scholarship in 2022, an experience that saw him spend two weeks training in the U.S. with the 2022 Open Champion.
On the women’s side, Belinda Ji of Concord triumphed with a 1 UP victory over Ella Scaysbrook in the final. Ji's impressive match play run included a clutch 2 UP win in the semifinals over top-seeded Caitlin Pierce from Adelaide, a narrow 1 UP quarterfinal victory over Amelia Whinney, and a 2 UP win against New South Wales’ Haruhi Nakatani in the Round of 16.
This year’s South Australian Amateur saw a field of 126 competitors, including 97 men and 29 women, continuing the tournament’s legacy as one of the premier amateur events in the region.
ABOUT THE
SA Amateur
The South Australia (WA) Amateur is open to men and
women of any age, and contested over 36-holes stroke
play qualifying with the leading 32 men and 16 or 8
women (subject to numbers) progressing to elimination
match play.
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