A week of promise ultimately ended in disappointment for WA as they fell just short of an historic combined team title at the Junior Interstate Series in Brisbane – despite the heroic efforts of our girls.
Entering the final round of matches, WA knew that only a victory against Victoria would give them a shot at the combined team crown, while they also needed NSW to beat QLD in the other title decider.
NSW duly did their part, conquering their arch-rivals 5-3, but WA couldn’t seize the opportunity as they fell to a 5-3 loss to a strong Victorian team.
For the unbeaten WA girls, only Kortni Houston posted a win, with Halia Edwards halving her match and Isabella Leniartek and Katie Seol succumbing to defeats.
Similarly for WA’s boys, Ollie Marsh and Spencer Harrison scored a win and a half respectively, while Liam Sullivan and Josiah Edwards were narrowly beaten.
The reversal saw WA slip to joint-third place overall alongside NSW, just a half-point behind QLD and Victoria. Host state QLD won the combined team title ahead of Victoria by virtue of a superior win/loss ratio.
However, the fine form of the WA’s girls saw them top their division with five wins from six matches, while WA were fourth in the boys’ standings with three points from a possible six.
WA’s girls celebrate topping their division with coach Jess Speechley and Manager Christina Edwards
Counting the positives
Despite the sting of failing to close out the overall team title, WA can take heart from their week in QLD, not least from the sensational form of Kortni Houston, who won all six of her individual matches to return the best figures of any golfer in the competition.
The Lakelands Country Club member only returned to Perth at the end of 2024 after 18 months in Canberra and her interstate series form suggests she’ll be a force to be reckoned with in upcoming junior championships on WA soil.
Indeed, WA’s girls excelled as a unit to take out top spot in their division with a proud record of five wins out of six – and an individual matches won/lost ratio of 17-7.
On top of that, all 10 members of the WA team contributed points over the course of the competition, with all but Marsh, Sullivan and Josiah Edwards still eligible to compete in next year’s event with further valuable experience under their belts.
While admitting his disappointment at the end result, state coach Ollie Goss said there are plenty of positives to take away from the week at Brookwater Golf & Country Club.
“We played some really good golf all week, so it’s frustrating to falter at the end when the opportunity was handed to us by NSW beating QLD,” he told GolfWA.
“It wasn’t a case of nerves, just a couple of players weren’t quite at their best today and when you’re up against quality opposition that can cost you.”
Goss pinpointed the two halved matches against NSW and QLD on Day 1 of the competition – both of which WA could have won – as decisive results in deciding the fate of the championship.
“If one of those matches had turned into a win it would have been a completely different story today,” he said. “It’s a good lesson for the players to remember that it’s not just the last day that matters. The three days leading up to it are just as important.”
With six wins from six matches, WA’s Kortni Houston was the competition’s standout performer
Day 4 scores
WA vs Victoria
Katie Seol lost 4&3 to Amelia Harris
Isabella Leniartek lost 2&1 to Jaehee Yun
Kortni Houston won 2&1 against Jessica Zhu
Halia Edwards halved with Sophie Mann
Josiah Edwards lost 3&1 to Hamish Farquharson
Spencer Harrison halved with Charles Roylance
Liam Sullivan lost 2&1 to Elbert Kim
Ollie Marsh won 4&3 against Kirk Kryskow
Final score: WA 3 – 5 Victoria
Final combined standings
WA team
Girls: Halia Edwards; Isabella Leniartek; Katie Seol; Aileen Sirait; Kortni Houston
Boys: Josiah Edwards (capt); Spencer Harrison; Nate Johnson; Ollie Marsh; Liam Sullivan
Coaches: Ollie Goss; Jess Speechley
Manager: Christina Edwards
View all the scores and final standings here.
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