Whalley, Swanson Struggle In West
Newcastle Herald
Tuesday April 10, 2001
HUNTER Valley State representative aspirants Joanna Whalley (Toronto) and Julie Swanson (Newcastle) found conditions tough in the opening round of the Western Australian 72-hole strokeplay championship at Lake Karrinyup Country Club yesterday.
Whalley, a member of the successful NSW side last year, had a first-round 80 and Swanson, a 1996 representative, shot 81 on the par-74 layout.
Sydney teenager Katy Jarochowicz leads the tournament after a one-under-par 73.
Swanson, a former Newcastle district champion, said the course was `very hard, long, hilly and windy' for her first championship round on the course.
Left-hander Whalley was playing her second major event in a month after finishing sixth in the Victoria 72-hole event on March 28.
Both hope to improve their positions in the national ranking event, which has drawn all the top Australian players except Queen Sirikit Cup representatives Helen Beatty, Rebecca Stevenson and Nadina Taylor, who are defending the title in Hong Kong this week.
There will be 36 holes today and the final 18 holes tomorrow.
Seven Belmont club juniors will also be in Western Australia this week for the Australian junior championships at Melville Glade Golf Club.
The group fly to Perth today led by 17-year-old NSW representative Nick Flanagan, who also represented Australia in Indonesia earlier this year.
The Australian junior tournament will be played on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The other players are Mathew Bayley, Mitchell Pryor, Brad Murnane, Sang Park, Rudy Bezundenhout and Robbie Mayo.
Belmont professional Paul Robertson and Morisset professional Les Bayley will travel with the team and their parents.
They will return in time for the Belmont Junior Classic on the Lake Macquarie amateur championship course on April 22.
The Belmont tournament is for boys and girls and is a NSW Junior Vardon and NSW Jean Derrin qualifying event, as well as a qualifying round of the Jack Newton Junior Golf Foundation age championships.
Entries in all divisions from under-12 to -17, and the Colts division from 18 to 24 and a nine-hole cadet division close on April 18.
More than 200 players are expected on the day and they will play for more than $5000 in trophies.
© 2001 Newcastle Herald
