14-year old Coby Carruthers from Jordan Springs has become the first junior golfer to ever win the Don Watson Handicap Match Play Trophy at Leonay Golf Club, defeating another junior Cooper McLean 3 and 2 in the Final of the local event.

The Match Play Championship has been in existence for the past fifty years and was re-named in honour of Don Watson in 1989.

Club Captain Ross Butcher said, “Coby is not only the first junior to win the Don Watson trophy, but he is also the youngest player in the last fifty years to win the Handicap Match Play event”.

Carruthers is currently in Year 9 at St Dominics College and has his sights firmly set on becoming a Golf Professional, once he finishes his schooling.

Despite his young age, Coby has already achieved a single figure handicap of 5.4, trains 3 to 4 times per week in sessions ranging from 1 to 1.5 hours and is working tirelessly on improving his technique, strength and all-round golf knowledge.

Coby’s role model on the Professional Circuit is former World #1 Rory McIlroy and his coach is his father, Andrew Carruthers.

His following major tournament was the 2019 Regional Academy of Sport ‘North vs South Cup’, which was played at Riverside Oaks Golf Club from the 24th to the 26th May.