Seventeen-year-old Victorian amateur Amelia Harris has claim her first professional title, winning the final Women’s NSW Open regional qualifying event at The Links Shell Cove.
FLASHBACK: How 14-year-old Amelia Harris’ move to Melbourne capped an Australian Open berth
A member of the Golf Australia High Performance squad, Harris was exceptional across both days, carding rounds of 69 and 67 for a tournament total of eight-under-par, ultimately winning by two shots over Korea’s Jeongmin Cho.
Her final round was a thing of beauty, a blemish-free scorecard featuring five birdies, demonstrating a composure well beyond her 17 years.
“I mean, it’s obviously super-special for anyone, but I don’t have any words. Speechless,” she said.
Despite the lead changing hands throughout the day, Harris remained focused on her own game, a strategy she credits as the key to her win.
“I just didn’t worry about the other girls, and I just believed in myself. I mean, probably looked like I was a bit angry out there, but that’s just how I like to play, just by myself.”
The victory earns Harris a place in next week’s 2026 Ford Women’s NSW Open, co-sanctioned with the Ladies European Tour and WPGA Tour of Australasia, where she will line up against world-class professionals.
Typically unfazed, she’s approaching it the same way.
“Same as this week, just do my own game. It’s a super good experience and I’m super excited, so I’ll just see how it goes,” she said.
Cho also secured herself a spot in next week’s Women’s NSW Open, admitting it was a bittersweet result after giving everything she had across the two days.
“I gave it my all. Things went my way for the first nine, then on the back nine I just couldn’t get up and down when I needed to, and that put me off,” she said.
“Overall it felt like a bonus after the round, but having given it everything, second feels just a little short.”
The Ford Women’s NSW Open takes place at Wollongong Golf Club from February 26 to March 1.