THE QUEEN OF CAIRNS
DEFENDING City of Cairns Women’s Classic champion Annabelle Hutchings was a bundle of nerves when she started her annual campaign for a title on her home course.
The 18-year-old was clearly one of the favourites to win the annual Cairns Golf Club tournament given her record in the event, but Hutchings was unsettled when she teed off.
“I just wasn’t confident,” Hutchings said of her start. “I haven’t been playing as much and I was really nervous.”
It translated to her golf, her score blowing out to four-over after just seven holes.
But there’s a very good reason why Hutchings earned her reputation as one of the region’s best female golfers.
She has the resilience, poise, focus and talent in spades, but most importantly, can put it together when she needs it most to succeed. Hutchings proved it again, as she not only clawed her way back during the first round to remain in contention for the victory but put everything together on Sunday to seal her third consecutive title.
Coached by Bradley Nienaber, Hutchings beat another Far North prodigy, budding 12year-old star Amelia Harris, by just three strokes.
“I felt quite a lot of pressure but it was so good to have that competition at the end,”
Hutchings said. “I knew I had to play well to get the win.
“There wasn’t talk (of the pressure) but you could feel it.”
The victory puts her within sight of the five-title record, held by Nikki Bruce who was also part of the final group and ultimately finished third.
Hutchings, a member of the Hills Golf Academy, has adapted to long-distance and video coaching this year, treating the coronavirus-affected portion of the calendar as a long off-season – the perfect time to work on her swing.
“I’m lucky to have a big backyard so I picked up some foam balls from Drummond and just worked on my driving and chipping,” she said.
“I saw it as a big positive. I had so much time, it was a nice, big off-season to work on the swing.”
That extra time away from competition could help her achieve the goal of turning pro and featuring in a tour event within the next few years.
Cairns Golf Club general manager Matt Bolton said Hutchings was a talented player who had charted her path to a professional career, and had no doubt she had the determination to make it happen.
“She’s won three straight now but the thing is, she’s getting better every year,” Bolton said.
“She’s planning to go to the next level and she’s working extremely hard.”