Just when things seemed like they couldn’t get any better for Jac Delaney, the 16-year-old smashed another record at the Mudgee Golf Club on Saturday afternoon.
The teenage sensation shot three under par (68) off the stick to win the fourth and final round of the club championships.
But that wasn’t even his main achievement.
His fourth round score meant he finished the championships on an incredible six under par 278 off the stick – seven shots better than Kerry Paine’s previous overall championships record of 285.
“I’m feeling great and I played really well, so I’m very happy,” Delaney said back in the clubhouse.
“I didn’t hit it the absolute best but I scored really well for the way I was hitting it and I felt really good out there.”
Delaney seemed to be in cruise control all day and got off to a good start as he went one under par on the front nine holes.
He capitalised on his solid start and birdied on the 10th to go two under par, before a brilliant putt on the 13th put Delaney in prime position for yet another incredible score.
But he held his nerve and saved his best for last.
By the time the 16-year-old came onto the final hole, a sizeable and vocal gallery had gathered at the temporary clubhouse to witness history in the making.
The teenager was coolness personified in Saturday afternoon’s chilly conditions as he approached the 18th hole with confidence.
However, that wasn’t reflected in his final tee shot for the day as perhaps some late nerves kicked in.
Delaney’s drive sliced off course and landed on the fairway of the first hole.
But a brilliant recovery shot through heavy branches dropped the ball about three metres from the pin and a third birdie for the day looked on the cards.
“Amazing finish there at the end,” Delaney’s father Mark said. “Where he hit off the first fairway, it was just phenomenal.”
Silence came over the course as the youngster lined up his final putt.
One so young would have been forgiven for cracking under such pressure, but Delaney kept a steady hand and slotted home the three-metre putt to confirm his status as the club championship’s new overall record holder.
“It’s incredible and it was a fantastic day of golf,” Mark said. “He was obviously in a good position and he was determined to go out there and break the record for the championship.”
Delaney said his work on the fairways was what won it for him on Saturday.
“My irons were pretty consistent all day and they saved me a lot out on the fairways,” he said.
The softly spoken youngster insisted he didn’t change his approach in the lead up to the weekend’s final round, despite having the record well and truly within touching distance.
“Today I was pretty confident because I was so far in the lead,” he said.
“I just stuck to my plans and I knew that if I shot some birdies and played some steady golf that I could get the record and I did.”
Jac’s father said despite his son’s dedication to the sport, the new record still came as a shock.
“He was focussed and when he gets out on the course and it’s his turn to play, he just gets in the zone and commits himself to the shot,” Mark said.
“But no, I didn’t expect anything like this.
And the respect from the other golfers was clear for all to see.
“All the other players like him and I think the best thing about Jac is his demeanor out on the course,” Mark said.
Email a friend