Butterworth finds a Yamba niche

FORMER Peregian Springs golfer Tim Butterworth is riding a wave of success at the Yamba Golf Club.

FORMER Peregian Springs golfer Tim Butterworth is riding a wave of success at the Yamba Golf Club.

The 18-year-old has followed John Wright into a role at the Yamba club in New South Wales.

Butterworth, who has played since he was 12, has been at the club for about a month.

“John was working at Peregian when I started playing and he helped me out with my swing. He was my coach for a year,” Butterworth said.

“Then he got the job at Yamba and it was just him in the shop, so he was looking for a trainee.

“It was something I have wanted to be doing for the last three or four years.

“I was more than happy to take on the challenge.”

Butterworth takes the position left vacant by the departure of the popular Adam Wiseman, who was part of long-serving pro Col Saunders’ crew, and has big shoes to fill.

But he has an impressive pedigree to do it – Butterworth claimed the Peregian Club Championships aged 14 and 16.

But it took a lot of practice.

“We just moved into the (Peregian) estate and dad bought me a membership,” Butterworth said.

“I enjoyed playing with my friends at the time.

“I was better than most players starting out but nothing special.

“I was a bit of a natural at the short game. I could read the greens.”

Meanwhile, Caloundra’s Sarah-Jane Smith finished in a tie for 14th after the final round of the LPGA Championship at New York yesterday.

Smith went into the final round in the top 10 but fired a two-over par 74 to fall off the pace.

Sunrise Beach’s Katherine Hull mounted a late charge, carding four-under in the final round to finish tied for 34th.

Originally published as Butterworth finds a Yamba niche