Prospect Vale golfer Ryan Thomas has put on a brave last-ditch performance in a desperate attempt to win the Tasmanian Junior Masters.
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He fired a final-round best of 67 to fall five strokes short on Friday afternoon.
Thomas had earlier carded rounds 71, 71, 70 on the Riverside course to finish nine under and claim third place.
But Queenslander Elvis Smylie’s four rounds under par – 69, 66, 71, 68 – proved decisive enough for the 15-year-old to claim the title.
Smylie, the son of prominent Australian tennis figure Liz Smylie, shot a 14-under par to win by four over fellow Gold Coaster Lewis Hoath.
Hoath, who came off a Tamar Valley Junior Cup win, entered the Masters as the firm favourite.
Deloraine’s Jack Blair scored last-day rounds of 73 and 75 to finish inside the top five, one stroke behind Czech Krystof Rucka.
Blair had shot a second-round 68 late on Thursday to rocket just six shots off the lead before slipping a further nine behind in the final 48 holes.
Victorian Ashleigh Hall just hung on to take out an exciting girls division.
The 17-year-old from Melbourne’s south-east shot a last-day 73 and 75 to score a five-over win by one stroke.
South Australian Charley Jacobs carded a powerful 70, but a 74 on the final 18 holes was not enough to upset the overnight leader.
Melburnian Sheradyn Johnson took out third place, a further three shots behind after finishing with 75 and 74.
The leading Tasmanian was Hobart 14-year-old Mackenzie Wilson.
She finished inside the top 10 at the prestigious tournament with rounds of 80, 77, 83 and 77.