Back to back titles: Illawarra junior golfers victorious two years in a row after dramatic playoff final

The Illawarra Junior Pennant team has emerged victorious for the second year in a row thanks to the efforts of young gun Sam Cascio in a dramatic playoff final. HEAR FROM THE VICTORIOUS JUNIORS.

YOUNG golfing superstar Sam Cascio has led his team to a dramatic playoff victory in the State Junior Pennant final at Horizons Golf Club.

The six young guns on the Illawarra Pennant team defeated Dubbo in a sudden death playoff in the final at Horizons Golf Resort.

Cascio, 15, defeated Cooper Giddings of the Dubbo Pennant side in the third hole of the sudden death playoff to give victory to his Illawarra team.

“It was interesting, we definitely took the long way to do it,” Cascio said.

“But it was great to get that result.

“I’ve grown up with most of those boys, so it’s always good to play and win with them.”

The victorious Illawarra Pennant side. (Left to right) Noah Cowen, Aksel Thomsen, Sam Cascio, Andrew Brown, Cooper Nianios, Marcus Liackman and manager Richard Harvey. Photo: Contributed

Cascio is joined on the Illawarra Pennant team by five young guns all emerging in the NSW junior golf scene: Noah Cowen, Aksel Thomsen, Andrew Brown, Coopar Nianios and Marcus Liackman.

Andrew Brown is the team captain and Richard Harvey is their manager.

The team defeated Shelly Beach on Monday in the semi-finals to progress to the final against Dubbo on Tuesday, who had defeated the NSW Pennant side in the other semi-final.

The final on Sunday ended all square, with Cascio, Brown and Liackman getting the upper hand against their Dubbo opponents, while Nainios, Thomsen and Cowen were narrowly defeated.

As the highest ranked individual on the team, Cascio was elected for the playoff final.

Sam Cascio of the Illawarra Pennant team. Photo: David Tease | Golf NSW

After tying on the first two playoff holes, Cascio eventually won the third playoff with a triple bogey, which is a rather unconventional way to decide a championship playoff, but was good enough to bring the title to the Illawarra.

“It was pretty tough, the greens were very slow, much different to what I’m used to in Wollongong,” Cascio said.

“I think my long game was very good though, I was happy with that.

This is now the second year in a row the Illawarra Pennant side has taken out this championship, with the last victorious team featuring current team members Sam Cascio, Andrew Brown and Coopar Nianios as well.

Sam Cascio at his home golf course of Wollongong Golf Club. Photo: Contributed

Team manager Richard Harvey, who also managed the last Illawarra victory, was very proud of the efforts the young players put in to get another title under their names.

“It was definitely tough, we had to give a combined 75 shots,” Harvey said.

“I just said to the boys though, forget about the shots you have to give, play your normal game and you’ll be good enough to win.

“For once it’s not an individual sport, it’s a team effort and everyone contributed to the victory.”

A fresh face on the Illawarra Pennant team, Aksel Thomsen was over the moon with the way he and his team performed over the past two days.

Aksel Thomsen of the Illawarra Pennant team. Photo: David Tease | Golf NSW

“It was an uphill battle from the start,” Thomsen said.

“It was my first time on that team and it was good to see that we all played very solid.

“I was always confident with Sam in the playoff, he was always going to be tough to beat.”

Team captain Andrew Brown said the Dubbo opposition put up a good fight and the team had to grind to get the result.

“We were all super excited with the result and to get the title again,” Brown said.

“It’s good to play with these boys, a lot of them I’ve been playing with for a long time.

“Five of us are from Wollongong and one is from Kiama, so we’re all very local.”

Cascio, who currently has a +3 handicap, is now gearing up for the NSW Amateur which starts next week, alongside a number of his Illawarra Pennant teammates.

“I’m feeling confident,” Cascio said.

“My game is pretty good right now, it would be good to keep this momentum going.”