CAPTAIN Julie McCallum joked that she hopes that Makensie Toole doesn't have university on a Monday next year after the talented teenager led Belmont to the Newcastle and Hunter District division one pennants title.
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Toole, who finished high school last year and plays off scratch, completed an unbeaten season as Belmont stormed past Charlestown 6.5-0.5 in the final round at Maitland on Monday to claim their first title since 2012.
Belmont finished the six rounds with five wins and 41 points, 6.5 points clear of Merewether. Newcastle, who have won the past three pennants titles, were third on 31.5 points.
"It makes it easier for everybody else with Makensie leading the way," McCallum. "We have a good consistent team and, apart from Makensie, we have been together for a few years. She certainly made a big difference. We needed two and a half wins today to wrap it up and she led off and won eight and seven. We are hoping she doesn't have university on a Monday next year."
McCallum, Nicole Bannerman and Susan Oliver were also in the victorious 2012 Belmont team.
McCallum was also a member of the team which won five straight from 1994.
Capping a big season for Belmont, their No.2 team won the division three title.
* Toronto rising star Jake Riley battled brutal conditions to shoot a two-under 69 and win the Parish Cup vardon event at Muree on Saturday.
The 13-year-old, who plays off three, finished two strokes ahead of clubmate Jacob Dundas.
Steve Hassett, a former professional, was the best of the local contingent at two over.
"Given the conditions, the rounds by the two young boys were as good as I have seen here in while here," Muree professional Vince Owen said. "Two years ago in the pro-am, the westerly blew hard and the best score was two-under by Cal O'Reilly. I didn't think anyone would get close to that on Saturday."
* Former gun Charlestown junior Brayden Petersen has continued his impressive trainee form.
Petersen fired rounds of 71,66,65, 75 to finish second at 11 under in the $35,000 Victorian Trainee Championships at Tocumwal.
Dale Carothers was a runaway winner at 18 under.
Petersen, in his second year at Asquith, finished second at the highly-rated Rich River Classic in February
* Jye Pickin plans to put the experience he gained playing for NSW at the men's interstate series to good use when he represents Australia at the the Toyota World Junior championships in Japan from June 16-21.
Picken and Charlestown clubmate Blake Windred, who was captain of the NSW team, suffered a heart-breaking loss in the final of the interstate series at Tasmania Golf Club on Friday.
The final finished 4-all, forcing a countback. Under the rules, the team with the most wins at the No.1 position during the round robin stage were awarded the title. Victoria won 3-2.5.
"We knew the equation before the start of the final," Pickin said. "We thought if we all played well we could definitely win 5-3."
Pickin won his match 2 and 3 and Windred, playing at the No.1 spot, thrashed Blake Collyer 6 and 5.
"It was a good learning curve," Pickin said. "In team events, every shot counts and every hole counts."
After Japan, Pickin heads to the US for the IMG World Junior, possibly the US Junior and two other events organised by the College of Charleston, where he begins a scholarship in August.
