Teen golf whiz takes out Surfers club crown
BILLY Dowling, who is approaching 15½ years old, fired rounds of 71, 71, 69 and 73 to win the Surfers Paradise Golf Club Championship.
Dowling (even par 284) was pushed hard in his final round by Manato Nakatani (289), Taylor Barr (290) and club stalwart Boyd Johnson on 291.
The teenager, who has been coached by Nancy Harvey for more than 10 years, did not display any nerves on the last day.
His father provided the only advice for the final round – to simply “go out and have some fun.”
Dowling has been having a lot of fun since his early days starting out at Parkwood Golf Club before moving to the Southport club where he was named junior of the year in 2015 and 2016.
Now at Surfers Paradise Golf Club, he works hard on his short game and is grateful for the friendship he has with Taylor Barr as well as the consistent support of junior coordinator and Surfers director Peter Hughes.
Dowling has a busy calendar ahead of him with the Queensland Men’s Amateur Championships at Southport on August 23, Gold Coast District junior team representation against Brisbane District, and the local Burleigh Junior Classic.
His eyes light up when he talks about his future.
“I’d like to become a pro golfer, for sure,” he said.
In other championships, Hamish Rollinson won B grade defeating Stephen Hamilton in a playoff and Beven Heaslip won C grade by one stroke from Frank Colverson.
Manato Nakatani won the junior championships from his sister Haruhi Nakatani who recorded a fine gross of 292.