In an exciting finish to the 2025 NSW Junior Championship, a trio of players walked away with titles after a dramatic final day at Catalina Club.
Concord’s Ti Fox claimed the boys' division with a dominant performance, while Queensland’s Ionna Muir and The Australian’s Camilla Kim were declared joint champions in the girls' after an epic five-hole playoff which ran into darkness.
Fox entered the final round with momentum and held his nerve to post a two-under 70, sealing a three-shot win and finishing the tournament at 14-under (70-67-65-70).
Fox said the nerves kicked in midway through the round, but he found another gear when it mattered most.
“I think we got back to about one shot through 12, and then I kind of put the foot down. That sealed the deal,” he said.
“When I birdied 16, that was definitely it. I thought, 'Okay, I’ve got four shots now in two holes. If I finish par-par, the job is done.'”
Despite a slightly less consistent putting performance in the final round, Fox’s ball striking kept him ahead of the field.
“For the first three rounds, definitely my putting was very strong. Today wasn’t great, but my ball striking kind of held that through and led me to a couple of birdies.”
The victory marks a perfect two-from-two record in major Jack Newton events this year for Fox, who also claimed the ACT Week of Golf title earlier in the season.
“Definitely a lot,” he said of what the win meant. “I’ve gone two from two major Jack Newton wins, so I’m pretty happy about that.”
The win also comes with a coveted reward, a start in the 2025 Ford NSW Open to be held at The Vintage in November.
“Yeah, great,” Fox grinned. “I’ve already called my mate, telling him to caddy; he’s getting ready.”
Perhaps most impressive was the fact Fox had barely landed in the country before teeing off in round one.
“I hopped off a plane about 15 hours before I needed to tee off,” he revealed.
“I was not looking forward to a long week, especially after playing two bad weeks of golf. So to win, it’s just fun.”
His post-win celebration? “A long four-hour drive home, so not much. Probably a little Maccas stop.”
Victorian Rupert Toomey (Commonwealth GC) finished runner-up at 11-under, while The Australian’s Sam Cascio placed third at 7-under.
The girls’ division ended in dramatic fashion, with Camilla Kim and Ionna Muir deadlocked at one over-par after 72 holes.
Kim shot a three-over final round, while Muir surged with a two-under 70 to force a playoff. What followed was an intense five-hole playoff under the fading evening light, with neither player able to break the deadlock. As darkness fell, both were crowned joint champions.
“It was a pretty tough match,” said Muir. “Me and Camilla were head to head all day, we were both really close.”
Kim admitted she was still processing the result. “Still a bit shocked at what just happened,” she said.
“Ionna played really well, and I think I just had to keep up with her. But no, it was really fun out there.”
The playoff tested their mental game as much as their skill.
“I was just like, hit down the fairway, get on the green, at least two-putt, and yeah, I guess that’s what we did,” Muir said.
Kim played it safe but steady. “I just tried to play the smart shots, not go for stuff," she said. I made a few silly putts in that playoff, but made them up with the second putt, which is good.”
Both girls credited different strengths for getting them to the top.
“I’d probably say off the tee,” said Muir. “I struggled the first few days, but then I kind of got my way around it.”
For Kim, it was the flatstick. “Definitely my putting. Even though I made some silly putts, I made up for it with a few birdie putts and good second putts.”
Asked what the win meant to her, Muir smiled: “It’s just crazy. I’m still really happy.”
Kim added: “I’m lost for words, but we both won.”
Celebration plans? Muir was looking forward to a quiet one.
“I haven’t even thought about that yet, but keen to see Mum and Dad when I get home. I’ll probably celebrate over there.”
Kim echoed the exhaustion.
“Just glad I can go home. It’s been a busy few weeks with tournaments on and off. I’m tired. I think we both just need a big rest.”
Rounding out the girls’ leaderboard was fellow Queenslander Ruby Kavanagh (Pelican Waters GC), who finished third at five-over.
- Kass Rogan
