2010
Aaron Baddeley International Junior Championship

2010 ABIJC Champions.

Girls Overall Champion : Cecilia Cho (New Zealand) - Final Score 293

Boys Overall Champion : Byron Meth (USA) - Final Score 277

Looking down the 18th to the Lion Lake Clubhouse.

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FOURTH ROUND SCORES ARE OUT AT LION LAKE COUNTRY CLUB.

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Well, here we are China. The internet connection is sometimes inconsistant so updates and scores may be delayed.

Tuesday.

Tuesday was official practise and the players love the course. A few comments....." best course I've played on"..........." this course is sensational".............." I can't believe I'm in China playing on what must be one of the best courses I've ever played on". The players continue to make great reviews about the course......it really is a great golf and country club. Best course of 2009 and best clubhouse 2010, and we can all see why.

Aaron gave a clinic on how he prepares for a tournament and how he goes about practicing making use of every minute he is at the range. Many players had a lot of questions and Aaron stayed behind after the clinic to help players and answer all their questions. It was a really good time for the players to get the inside of what the pros do and what exactly they do in preparing for tournaments through the year. Many lessons were learnt.

Aaron conducting the Junior Clinic

Ready for action.

Aaron rips one down the 1st.       It's that easy  !!

Tuesday night we went on a Pearl River Cruise for dinner and boat cruising......it is fantastic. All the lights of Guangzhou are displayed on the buildings up and down the Pearl River for the Asian Games and they where spectacular.......it was a great night.

Wednesday.

All the players were on the range this morning. The ABIJC players were the first players to tee it up on the grass. The practise range grass has been manicured for months and rolled with a greens roller........it was perfect.

The Lion Lake Country Club has excelled in every way to make this the best tournament we have had. It is certainly fitting to be here for the 10th anniversay of the ABIJC.

We have just finished the Press Conference with all the government officials, TV and other media. All the players are out playing the Am/Am.

Wednesday Night.

What a night. Jake Higginbottom and his team won the Am/Am..........that's a good start to the week. All the teams played well and thought the greens were good. Entertainment was great......we had a magician, accrobats, the face off man was back......food was great......this tournament could not be better.

Always a highlight. The "face off" performer.  How does he do it - we all ask !

Tommorrow is the day. Everyone is so excited to get the first round started. They are all feeling very confident........players say the winning score will be in the teens. I think so too. Let's see what happens.

Thursday.

The breeze was up early but scores were low. The boys were going low but there was more to come. The breeze started to drop and the day was getting warmer. The greens were getting faster, and puts started to drop. The best was about to come............... 

What a day this was. Just when it looked like Jake Higginbottom has top spot secured with a low 67, Byron Meth shoots a sensational 66 which included an eagle on the 17th. Byron drove the green and made a 10 footer.......great playing.

There are 8 boys at even or better.......they are playing for a start in the 2011 Australian Open and the Australian JBMasters, the greatest prize in Junior Golf in the World.

The girls are firing. Su-Hyun Oh, Cecilia Cho and Sarah Jane Ababa all carded 73. They were playing great. Then in came a 72 by Dottie Ardina to take top spot. Then.........Annie Choi carded another 72. Top 5 spots all within 1 shot.......this is going to be a hot tournament by the girls.

Friday

Who is going to catch Byron Meth.

Today was a little more difficult. Pins positions proved a challenge across all players with generally higher scores being returned.  Overnight boys leader Byron Meth posted a solid score of 70 following his first round 66. 

Annie Choi sets the pace. 

In the girls category, equal round 1 leader Annie Choi (72) backed up with a consistent 73 today to lead Dottie Ardina (72, 74) by one shot.   This sets up a great run home with ideal conditions forecast for the final two rounds. Good putting holds the key to holding the winners cup on Sunday.

*We have found a star in the making*.

Have a look at who is leading the 15 years boys and just happens to be T4. It is 12 year old Tianlang Guan from Guangzhou, China. I was impressed with this young man last year and now this year he has risen to the next level. Tianlang Guan just may be the first Chinese player to make a real presence in the golfing world. Remember his name..........we are going to hear a lot more from this talented young man.

Saturday

Look who carded a 70......you guessed it....12 year Tianlang Guan. 2nd best score of the day. This young boy is going to be a super star. The more I see him play, the more I am impressed. Keep watching this spot.

Is anyone going to run down Byron Meth ?

Well...........scores are coming in and the 3 leaders in the boys division all shot 70. Byron Meth still holds a 4 shot lead........but, we are moving the tee back on 17 tomorrow that brings a bunker into play.......now it's not so easy.

So...........is Byron going to hang on ? The way he is going about his game, he has every chance of taking out the championship. I spoke to Byron about his last year of golf and asked him how he has taken his game to the next level and here is what he said.............

" I started to take my golf very seriously this year and worked at my game on the those parts that needed improving. I worked hard and started to see improvements. It was those small things in my game that was holding me back and the more I keep working on them, the better I get".

Well.......do I predict that Byron will win ? I don't know, but.........from my experience the one thing that has improved Byron's game is his attitude to his game.......that's why he has gone to the next level.

Annie Choi has a lead of 3 shots over Cecilia Cho......both are playing great shooting 74 each today. Tomorrow is going to be tight.

Todd Sinnott has low round of the day.

The third round wasn't as easy as the players hoped for. With players struggling to break 70, Todd Sinnott brings in a card for the scorers with 68. That was a super round. Todd has been playing Aaron's tournament since he was 13 years old, played every tournament in Australia and played his way into the Australian team by way of a 6 man play off. Nailed a birdie on the first playoff hole. Todd really deserves to be on the team and is a key player for the team. Watch him tomorrow.

Sunday

Big swing on the front nine.

Jake Higginbottom has made picked up 3 shots and Byron has dropped 2 shots which places Jake 1 shot ahead. The play is hot as they go down the 10th.

Byron Meth takes out the Chanpionship.

Byron went into the last round with a 4 shot lead, by the 9th he was 1 shot behind. Got it back to even.....made birdie on the 17th with an unbelievable bunker shot to 2 feet. Coming down the 18th left his 2nd shot short....made an OK chip shot which stopped at 8 feet from the pin. A gutsy tough put gave him the trophy. Byron is one great player to come back from a shaky front 9, getting it all back together on the back 9, keeping his cool and never giving up.

Playoff with the Girls.

There is a playoff between Cecilia Cho and Annie Choi.......this is a real nail biter.

Cecilia Cho clinches the win with a 2 hole play off. Both made par on the 1st playoff hole and Annis made double on the 2nd to hand the win to Cecilia. We can all start breathing again. Well done Cecilia.

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This is THE driving range. The ABIJC will be the first players to hit off the grass.

Without a doubt, this is the best driving range facilities I have seen.

This is the 16th which is their signature hole..........


The ABIJC is pleased for the Lion Lake Country Club to hold our International Tournament. It is without a doubt one of the best golf course and club house complexes I have ever seen in China.




Breaking News.....News.....News.....News......News......News......

The winner of the 2010 ABIJC gets a start in the 2011 JBWere Masters.


                             
2011

Aaron Baddeley International Junior Championship

The Aaron Baddeley International Junior Championship started in 2001 and has since then become one of the leading junior championships in the world.

It is the only junior tournament in the world that gives the boys and girls winner an exemption into the Mens and Womens Australian Open, the JBWere Masters and the Ladies ANZ Masters, Australia's premier Championship tournaments.

The ABIJC continues to give juniors the greatest opportunities to become the best players they can be, and to give them an experience in golf like they have never had before.


2011 DATES ARE SET.

Victorian Qualifying: Sept. 18th. 2011

Croydon Golf Club at Yering Meadows
180 Victoria Road
Yering
Melways 274 D 11
Phone: 9738 9001 - Pro Shop.


Australian Qualifying: Oct. 17th. 2011

The Heritage Golf and Country Club
Heritage Drive
Chirnside Park
Melways 279 D 8
Phone: 9760 3322 - Pro Shop


International Championship: Nov. 21st - 27th. 2011

Lion Lake Country Club
Guangzhou
China.
www.lionlake.com
Phone: + 61 3 9722 1968
+ 61 417 107 568 Mob./ cell - Outside Australia

 

For more information please visit ABIJC Website:

Aaron Baddeley International Junior Championship