Dewitt makes moves at Queensland Amateur

BY Anthony Powter | Queensland Mens Tour | 2010 Queensland Amateur Championship | Matchplay Round Two | 05 May 2010

As the business end nears with the Queensland Amateur Championships at Bribie Island’s Pacific Harbour Golf and Country Club, Brett Drewitt has made his move during today’s second round in search of his maiden major amateur title.

Drewitt accounted for the 2009 Queensland Mid Amateur Champion, Paul Griffiths, to set up a semi-final encounter with Brett Rankin, after Rankin accounted for Matt Stieger, 4&3.

Four players remain in the championship including the number 1 seed and 2010 Queensland Amateur Medalist, Cameron Smith, after he easily disposed of Evan Sinclair, 8&7, to set up the top order semi-final against the ever consistent Tim Hart.

Hart, runner-up to Matt Jager at the 2009 Federal Amateur, this morning battled hard against Gavin Fairfax to win his second round encounter on the 37th hole in a match that could have gone either way.

Yet to also clinch a maiden major amateur title despite being close on numerous occasions, Hart is looking strong in these championships to go the whole way. Already this season, Hart has been runner-up to Kieran Pratt at the 2009 Victorian Amateur and the world number 78th should be a stern challenge against Smith in tomorrow’s semi-final.

In the lower part of the draw, Drewitt is aware his encounter against the more seasoned Rankin will be a tussle, however the 19-year-old is set for the challenge.

“I came into these championships not knowing what to expect,” says Dewitt, who contracted a bout of food poisoning just before last week’s stroke format.

“I’m getting stronger with each game and fell like I belong out there. It’s sure to be a great contest tomorrow and I’m feeling confident that I be a serious contender.”

Drewitt won the 2009 Jack Newton International, was runner-up to Kieran Pratt at the 2009 Dunes Medal, won the Avondale Amateur, was a quarter-finalist at the NSW Amateur and is the number 2 seed in these championships after falling short to Smith on the eighth play-off hole in the Stroke Championship last Saturday.

These credentials alone are testament to what Drewitt’s achieved in a relative short period of time since moving to focus upon his golf from Inverell in the New England North West region of New South Wales to Sydney .

Drewitt’s form this season has also been impressive and he’s certainly a player to follow in future events. Drewitt is hungry and eager to emerge as a major force in the main amateur ranks and knows events like the Queensland Amateur are the perfect platform to make his mark.

“I’m here in Queensland for both this amateur and the Keperra Bowl and I want to try and make a name for myself in these bigger event,” he says.

“To get where I am is a great achievement already. I just want to go one more and make the final and see what happens then. I’m playing well and am confident with my game.”

With four of the nation’s main amateurs left in the Queensland Amateur, these championships have again shaped up to be a great event.

Last year Cameron Smith was denied the titled by Daniel Nisbet. Smith remains playing, Nisbet, well that’s another story and we will be sure to see him back at a later date contesting these events. Nisbet is simply a talent in the making and is young enough to bounce back from any temporary set backs, irrespective of the sanctions that have been imposed by the governing bodies.

Smith on the other hand is present and eager to make amends to those events twelve months ago and at just 16, time is certainly on his side. He’s certainly exhibiting the form at Bribie Island to take this event out.

Either way with the likes of Smith, Hart, Rankin and Drewitt, whoever is holding the trophy on Friday afternoon will be a rightful champion and in the process certainly would have made a name for themselves in claiming the Queensland Amateur Championship and be alongside the names of Jason Day and Gavin Flint, just to name a few.