Tim Stewart: From Monash to Royal Hobart
IN: News | Australian Mens Amateur | Australian Amateur Championship (2006) | Semi-Finals | by Anthony Powter | 28 Mar 2006
Quarter and Semi-Final Photo Gallery
One week you're the number one pennant player in the Sydney Metropolitan Pennant series, the next you're playing for the Australian Amateur Championship title. That's exactly what Tim Stewart from Monash Golf Club on Sydney's Northern Beaches will be doing when he plays off against Mitchell Brown in the final of the Australian Amateur Championship at Royal Hobart Golf Club tomorrow.
Those that know the 21-year-old, like Peter Knight, Head Coach from the NSW Institute of Sport are not that surprised how far Stewart has progessed.
"Tim was in the State Colts Team and shows plenty of promise. He was undefeated in those series. This Championship is not beyond him as he has the all round game to play well around here."
So who is Tim Stewart and what's his background?
Stewart first started playing golf at age nine when his family lived in Singapore. He moved to Australia at thirteen and spent the best part of his developing years playing at Bayview Golf Club, a local public course on Sydney's Northern Beaches. He honed his considerable talents there but not under any particular coach and to this day he still does not have a dedicated coach overseeing his game.
Stewart now plays out of Monash Golf Club, also on Sydney's Northern Beaches, and the same ground from which Asian Tour Member Adam Groom hails. A quick perusal of Stewart's achievements to date illustrates in his short amateur career he's quietly being going about his business, keeping under the radar but clearly in sight of those who know, like the members at Monash, what the 21-year-old can achieve.
Stewart's main amateur victories include the Monash Masters in 2005 and the NSW Cup earlier this year and a top ten finish at the Riversdale Cup. All are 36 hole Vardon stroke events, considered the main events on the Vardon and amateur calendar.
Stewart does not appear to be phased with what he is facing as he walks on to the Royal Hobart fairways tomorrow morning. I spoke to him immediately after his birdie on the first sudden death playoff hole against Jamie Arnold that enabled him to progress to the final round in what is clearly his best amateur achievement to date.
"I approached this event the same way as I have been approaching other events during the last few weeks and now I'm into the final. I was just looking at this tournament as the same, even though it's the Australian Amateur. It's something I didn't expect, it seems so surreal. I can't wait to tell my family, they don't even know as they're currently on a plane."
Whilst Stewart's stroke play capacity was not in question, neither should his match play capabilities. On occasions during today's semi-final round with Jamie Arnold, an iron was produced for the tee shot; the plan no different to what he's played all week – to keep the ball in play.
"Royal Hobart is not long but it's a great course for match play. I've been simply keeping the ball in the middle and attaching the pin on the right shots."
The strategy has obviously worked all week for Stewart with wins over name players including Steve Dartnall and Stephen Speirs.
The 14th qualifier for the match play format currently sits only one match away from holding the Challenge Cup as well as the associated trappings that will follow - a three year exemption into the MFS Australian Open, a start in the British Amateur, invites this summer to most of the Australasian PGA Tour events.
Mitchell Brown will have other ideas for Stewart when they start their 36 hole final in the morning. Brown looked solid all day and in his own words - "It's coming together this week, my putting and driving, for once it's all there."
Photo - Anthony Powter
