Catalina is running the event in conjunction with Mollymook Golf Club.

The week commenced with the opening ceremony on Monday at Mollymook, and the tournament proper began on Tuesday, and will conclude today when 12 State Age Champions are crowned. Six boys and six girls in the following age groups - 12 years and under, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 years, will hold the title for 12 months.

The championships are the brainchild of Australian golfing stalwart Jack Newton, who will be in attendance at Catalina today to get proceedings underway for the final day and to present prizes at the end.

The event has been a stroke play, with competitors playing 18 holes at each course over the opening two days, followed by a cut in each age group after 36 holes.

The top half in each age group, once the cut hadbeen made, competed for the State Age Champion-ship Cup at Catalina Country Club while the bottom half contested the State Age Championship Plate at Mollymook.

Catalina golf professional Nigel Wilson is understandably delighted to have such a vast array of talent playing in such a prestigious tournament here.

“I’s fantastic,” he said.

“It‘s great to see so many wonderful players enjoying their golf on our course.”

The Batemans Bay and Moruya juniors have had mixed fortunes in the championships, but all agree it has been a great experience.

“It has been hectic, but the other players have shown so much talent to us,” Catalina captain Emily McNeill said.

“We are not as good as they are, so we can learn from them. This has been great for the club. The course is in good condition and as captain I am proud of the juniors.”

McNeill’s 12-year-old sister Hayley is among the players who made the cut on Wednesday, despite this being her first time competing in the tournament. Her 12-year-old Catalina team mate, Rhys Dunlop, also a first-timer, made the cut as well.

Fourteen-year-old Catalina player Ben Phillips said playing on both the courses had been a challenge.

“It is a lot easier at Catalina than Molly-mook,” he said.

“The Mollymook course is very up and down and the greens are faster than here.”

Jack Newton Golf Foundation CEO Peter Van Weegan said that the championships had been a great occasion for the clubs and a display of fine talent.

“The two courses have been a great test of the players, because they are so different,” he said.

“The competition between the players has been great and, most of all, the hospitality shown by the people down here has been fantastic.”

Catalina club captain Bob Soper says the championships are a great feather in the club’s cap.

“It’s a big occasion because all the top juniors in each age group from right across the State are here,” he said.

Together with Molly-mook we will be hosting the next two championships as well.”