MORE than 50 of the region's best golfers have etched their name on the Northern Districts Junior Golf Championship Cup, but few have overcome the odds quite like Oliver Thomas.
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At 11 years old, Thomas defeated players seven years his elder en route to claiming the coveted cup.
The Calrossy student pulled out all the stops while taking on some of the region's best under-18 golfers.
"I've been playing since I was four or five and just really love the sport itself," Thomas said.
"I wasn't really expecting to win.
"Leading into the tournament, I was feeling nervous, excited and happy to be there."
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The victory marked Thomas' first attempt at the competition but not his first victory at his home club, the Longyard Golf Club.
"I practise whenever I can and have coaching here [Longyard Golf Club] every second week," he said.
"I'd have to say my driving is probably the strongest part of my game and that comes through practice.
"Now I'll turn my attention to the Australian Junior Championships on the Gold Coast in April."
Understanding Thomas' success was fellow club member and inaugural Northern Districts Junior Champion Tony Fogarty, who overcame similar odds when he won the tournament in 1963.
"I'm originally from Nundle and we didn't have a golf course until 1962, so when I turned up for the tournament I'd never even had a lesson," Fogarty said.
"It's fair to say that when I lined up I was a bit of a scrubber, but I was lucky enough to pull the tournament off.
"I got really involved in junior golf after that, and it is just great to see all the young kids getting out there."
Despite a decline in junior participation in the sport, Fogarty said golf could once again return to prominence.
"It was really big in my days," he said.
"For some reason, I don't know why, it's really dropped off. Hopefully young Ollie's win might inspire some others to give it a go."
Fogarty said he was "thrilled" with Thomas' victory.
"I live right by the course and see him every time he comes out to practise," he said.
"It's great to see him out here instead of behind a computer or something like that.
"I'm very proud of him."
Billy Jupp
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
