Queensland Order of Merit winners crowned
Queensland Order of Merit winners crowned
Rihanna Lewis & William Florimo
Rihanna Lewis & William Florimo Rihanna Lewis & William Florimo
William Florimo and Rihanna Lewis have been recognised as Queensland’s best performing amateur golfers, topping the State’s 2021 Order of Merit (OOM).
Lewis, 22, from Pelican Waters Golf Club on the Sunshine Coast, won two of her three events to be crowned this year’s winner. Victories at the 49th South Pacific Ladies Open Classic (Surfers Paradise) and Pacific Harbour Amateur (Pacific Harbour) as well as a top five finish at the Keperra Bowl (Keperra Country) kept her just in front of a chasing pack including Haruhi Nakatani, Cassie Porter and Justice Bosio.
“Are you sure! Surely this is a mistake!”, she said. After which she said, “it’s fantastic to win such a prestigious trophy and to be out playing golf when others haven’t been as privileged.”
Florimo, 22, based at Pacific Golf Club in Brisbane, was exceptionally consistent throughout the season, with four wins and three seconds from nine starts. The sharp left hander had wins in the EG Oxenford Plate (Redcliffe), Dave Mullen Jug (Oxley), Golf North Queensland Open (Proserpine) and Pacific Harbour Amateur (Pacific Harbour) to cement his spot atop this year’s state order of merit ahead of Tyler Duncan, Sam Howse, Justin Morley and Blaike Perkins.
“Oh wow, this comes as a shock! All I wanted to do during a Covid impacted year was play golf and here we are with this cherry on top for my year. I’m just happy playing good golf”, Florimo cheerfully said.
The Queensland Open Age calendar has officially concluded for the season whilst our Queensland Junior OOM will conclude at the upcoming Greg Norman Junior Masters (Palmer Gold Coast) in mid-December.
Billy Dowling and Haruhi Nakatani currently lead our Queensland Junior Order of Merit for both the boys and girls respectively. Dowling and Nakatani have had impressive years, as they both took out the QLD Junior Amateur Championship at Bargara and have a collective of second place finishes at various other events for the year.
Dowling, based at Surfers Paradise Golf Club, has impressed this year with top 5 results at the Gary Player Classic and the Burleigh Cup, an open age state order of merit event in Queensland. Nakatani, from Surfers Paradise Golf Club, year has shown great promise with her worst result for the year being a third-place finish at the ladies South Pacific Open Classic. She finished second at the Katherine Kirk Classic and the Pacific Harbour Amateur to continue her lead atop the standings.
The Queensland calendar was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic throughout 2021 but the 2022 season will begin in hope of a much smoother season. The Open Age OOM season for both Men and Women in 2022 begins with the EG Oxenford Plate at Redcliffe Golf Club on January 23rd. Our Junior Golf Queensland Junior events calendar commences at Mt Coolum Golf Club on the Sunshine Coast January 17th.
In the Queensland Senior OOM, Brad Dowling and Wendy O’Connell were this year’s men’s & women’s winners. Dowling, who plays out of Southport Golf Club, who has led for almost the entire calendar year, being the most consistent player with six wins and a further five second place finishes to be crowned our Senior Men’s Scratch Order of Merit Champion. O’Connell, from Wantima Golf Club, was crowned Senior Ladies Scratch Order of Merit Champion just ahead of Claire Jackson. O’Connell finished with four wins and a further five second placed finishes to edge out Jackson.
Results Summary:
Queensland Open Age Men’s Order of Merit (Angus Buchannan Trophy) – Final Standings:
1. William Florimo (Pacific Golf Club)
2. Tyler Duncan (Redcliffe Golf Club)
3. Sam Howse (Brisbane Golf Club)
Queensland Open Age Women’s Order of Merit (Ann Bongers Trophy) – Final Standings:
1. Rihanna Lewis (Pelican Waters Golf Club)
2. Haruhi Nakatani (Surfers Paradise Golf Club)
3. Cassie Porter (Peregian Golf Club)
Queensland Junior Boys Order of Merit (Bill Kennedy Trophy) – Current Standings:
1. Billy Dowling (Surfers Paradise Golf Club)
2. Justin McCormack (Gailes Golf Club)
3. Kai Komulainen (Emerald Lakes Golf Club)
Queensland Junior Girls Order of Merit (Val Johnston Trophy) – Current Standings:
1. Haruhi Nakatani (Surfers Paradise Golf Club)
2. Justice Bosio (Caboolture Golf Club)
3. Shyla Singh (Southport Golf Club)
Queensland Senior Men’s Scratch Order of Merit – Final Standings:
1. Brad Dowling (Southport Golf Club)
2. Ian Frost (Arundel Hills Golf Club)
3. Toyne Stephen (Indooroopilly Golf Club)
Queensland Senior Men’s Nett Order of Merit – Final Standings:
1. Toby Palham (Southport Golf Club)
2. Mark Blake (Helensvale Golf Club)
3. Ian Frost (Arundel Hills Golf Club)