IT may not have been part of Jye Pickin's original plan for 2019, but the Newcastle golfer is making the most of his time at home.
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The 19-year-old headed south on Monday en route to this week's Victorian Amateur Championships, will now contest his second NSW Open from November 25 having already qualified as part of the men's state side and is also eyeing off an Australian Open berth in December.
The delay occurred because results from a required course he completed online earlier this year weren't available until after the first enrollment date, meaning Pickin begins next semester.
"It was a bit of a bummer," Pickin said.
"But I'm still looking forward to it [college] and I've already been over there so it won't be completely new once I arrive for good.
"And now I can play a few tournaments at home I wouldn't have been able to if I was away. The NSW Open is a good opportunity with good ranking points."
Last year's junior state champion has been training twice a week with the Golf NSW squad in Sydney and practicing locally at home course Charlestown.
He narrowly missed the New Zealand Amateur match play in Auckland earlier this month.
* NOVOCASTRIAN James Nitties has taken to social media over the weekend to express his disappointment after falling just shy of the final stage of Korn Ferry Tour qualification in the US.
"Gutted, feel numb and wanna cry after dropping out of the number to miss KFT finals by 2 today," Nitties posted on Twitter.
"Golf just hurts sometimes. Played my heart out. Tomorrow I'll wake up and be pumped to compete again. Thanks to my friends and family for the support."
* MICHAEL Wade (Charlestown), Hamish Ellison (Belmont) and Luke Ferrier (Merewether, Newcastle), will be some of this year's club winners lining up in the NDGA District Championships at Pacific Dunes on Saturday. Double points are up for grabs in the NDGA order of merit.
* DEAN Wilson (246) has been crowned club champion for the first time at Horizons Golf Resort after finishing five shots clear of Matt Murnane. The 54-hole tournament wrapped up at Salamander Bay on Sunday.
* WARATAH'S club championship for 2019 will be decided on Saturday week with Justin Ely, Nathan Lambert and Caleb Bromley sitting together at four over (146) with 18 holes to play. Ely was the best performer during the weekend's second round with a two-over 73. Seven days earlier Bromley opened with a three-under 68.
* AARON Townsend was tied 12th when the Gippsland Super 6 at Yallourn Golf Club wrapped up Sunday. He finished nine strokes behind winner Tom Power Horn at two under (212) after rounds of 74, 69 and 71. Callan O'Reilly missed the cut at six over.
* PACIFIC Dunes' Jamie Hook will line-up in the PGA Professionals Championship at Hamilton Island from Monday.