Isabella Leniartek & Zach Nayar win 2024 Cottesloe Junior Open
With: Phil Ryan
Pictures: Chris Paino
2024 Cottesloe Junior Open Champions Isabella Leniartek and Zach Nayar
A field of 30 girls and 56 boys contested the 2024 Cottesloe Junior Open on Sunday Morning, 11 August 2024.
Congratulations to our 2024 champions Isabella Leniartek (Mt Lawley) and Zach Nayar (Joondalup).
Isabella Leniartek had been runner-up in the 2023 Girls Cottesloe Junior Open and went one better in 2024, playing very solidly for even par 72 to win by three shots from Aprileen Sirait of Gosnells on 75. The win continues a fabulous season for the 15-year-old Isabella, winner of the 2024 Cobra Junior Championship, WA Junior Girl Champion by 13 shots and undefeated at both Junior and Women’s Interstate Series matches in 2024.
Boys Champion Zach Nayar had started on the 5th hole and had a late boost of an eagle 2 on the 1st when rounding off the front nine of 34. Runner-up Josiah Edwards had played from the 1st and was 6-over through 13 holes and then birdied 14 and 16 and eagled 17, but finished a shot away second with 74.
Our boys field were giving the ball a solid hit as usual, as evidenced by no less than 6 eagles landed as detailed below. All went home with a sleeve of Titleists in recognition of their feat.
Cottesloe Men’s Captain Graeme Finlayson presented the winners and the field enjoyed lunch after a pleasant 18 holes completed in nice weather with a shotgun start at 8am. Some very good scoring in the nett events from younger juniors on the rise as the field came to grips with the interesting greens in the now fully completed Graham Marsh masterplan of the Cottesloe course.
Our thanks once again to member Chris Paino for pictures from the day.
Leaderboards: Girls leaderboard. Boys leaderboard
2024 Cottesloe Junior Open – Sunday 11 August 2024 | |||
Girls Junior Open Champion | Isabella Leniartek(Scr) | Mt Lawley | 72 Gross |
Girls Runner-Up | Aprileen Sirait (4) | Gosnells | 75 Gross |
Boys Junior Open Champion | Zach Nayar (3) | Joondalup | 73 |
Boys Runner-Up | Josiah Edwards (+3) | Gosnells | 74 |
Girls Best Nett | Jenna Poon(22) | Cottesloe | 68 |
Runner-up | Jessica McLaughlin (13) | Lakelands | 70 |
Boys best nett | Samuel Williams (28) | Lake Karrinyup | 66 |
Runner-up | Harry Bailey (29) | Kwinana | 67 |
Eagle Shooters | Zach Nayar JCC (1st), Samuel Monteleone RFGC ( 1st), Josiah Edwards GGC (17th), Nate Johnson JCC (8th ,) Mathew McLaughlin LCC (8th ) and Daniel Murrowood LKCC (14th) |
Event History: Cottesloe Junior Open
The Cottesloe Junior Open history is detailed on the board above. The event was initially 36-holes nett and two representatives were invited from all metropolitan clubs. The inaugural 1960 winner Ian Tassell was the 1960 Cottesloe Junior Captain and a subsequent member of three state junior teams.
In 1989 the event became best gross and continued as a junior boys event.
In 1994 junior girls participated for the first time and since then the trophy has recorded champion boys and girls and the past winners board include some big names, including Cottesloe members.
Lots of past champions have gone on to professional careers as the honour board shows, including our 2024 Paris Olympian Minjee Lee, a winner 15 years ago in 2009.
Nice to see our Director of Golf Damian Chatterley also a former winner, as a Cottesloe player in 1994 with a solid 147 for the then 36 hole event.