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Last week Brett Drewitt pulled out a “get out of jail”� card at the Queensland Amateur Championship final to win his first major amateur title when he fought back from 5 down to defeat the more experienced Tim Hart, 1-up, at Pacific Harbour Golf and Country Club. The win in the Queensland Amateur stakes Drewitt’s inclusion into the group of Australia’s main amateur up-comers, including likes of Michael Williams, winner of the NSW Amateur Stroke, Cameron Smith the Queensland Amateur Stroke champion, Jake Higginbottom, winner of the NSW Amateur and Matt Stieger, one of the most consistent new amateurs this season to name a few. All are making their progression from the junior to the main Australian amateur circuit in style and as shown by Drewitt, Williams and Higginbottom, accounting for a number of more experienced scalps in main tournaments along the way.Luke Donald With a world ranking around the 110 mark and steadily improving, in a space of less than twelve months the 19-year-old Drewitt has moved to be within Australia’s top-15 players. Drewitt’s rise within the main amateur ranks spurred by selection in the NSW State squad and 6 top-five finishes in main Australian amateur events since November 2009, including a tied 11th at the Australian Amateur Championships in Perth. The season Drewitt has been runner-up to Kieran Pratt at the 2009 Dunes Medal, won the Avondale Amateur back in January, was also quarter-finalist at the 2010 NSW Amateur in March and also qualified for the Australian Amateur match-play. These achievements were all in what can be considered Drewitt’s “rookie”� year in amateur golf. As a junior Drewitt certainly experienced similar success. In 2009 he won the Jack Newton International and collected numerous junior tournaments in the New England North West region of New South Wales where he’s originally from. That’s the past and Drewitt is focusing on the future with winning as many of the main amateur events that he can.KATANA Driver “My goal is to get established in these events and challenge for the titles,”� said Drewitt following his win over Hart at the Queensland Amateur Championship, a win that came about through sheer determination and resolve. Drewitt’s efforts against Hart in Brisbane was buoyed on from his near miss in the Queensland Amateur stroke championship when Cameron Smith denied him of that title on the eighth extra play-off hole. Securing the Queensland Amateur Championship title proper with a stunning comeback was simply a bitter sweet experience for Drewitt and he hopes one that will lead to further and better things. “I’m starting to feel like I can compete seriously out there,”� says Drewitt who’s originally from Inverell where he learned to play the game under the watchful eye of his father, Michael, himself a single-figure player. A recent move to Sydney to be based at Long Reef Golf Club on Sydney’s Northern Beaches was a strategic move on Drewitt’s part so as to enable him more opportunity to compete in main events and in the process gain valuable experience. The results this season have been impressive for Drewitt, particularly at the Dunes Medal, Avondale Medal and the NSW Amateur Championship. Drewitt was also instrumental with Long Reef’s Major Pennant team this season in the Sydney Major Pennant series, where they made the semi-finals only to loose to the pennant powerhouse of Moore Park, which St Michaels then accounted for in the final.Golf Driver City “My game is continually improving,”� says Drewitt. “This last week in Queensland demonstrated that I can do well in main events. A runner-up finish in the stroke after being so close, followed by a win in the match-play, I’m wrapped with those results.”� This week Drewitt will play the Keperra Bowl which is the last main Australian Amateur event before the top players move overseas to compete in the UK and US. At present the UK and US can wait, Drewitt knows he’s got more work to do with his game first before testing it in such events. That trip is on the horizon, possibly a close as next year. “I’m working hard on my game to get it to the next level,”� he says.Honma Driver “My consistency is improving and I’m putting better. I putted really well to win the Queensland Amateur and with that you gain confidence.”� The transition to the main amateur ranks and the associated challenges is something Drewitt no longer views as an issue. The win at the Queensland Amateur has seen to that. He knows a hard work ethic is vital and that there can no longer be any shortcomings in your game.golf star “As a junior it’s not the same as playing these events, there are more players capable of winning a tournament and you cannot afford to make silly mistakes.”� “You just have to keep on top of everything all the time and hang in there.”�golf match The win in the Queensland Amateur has put to rest any doubts and for the time being, Drewitt feels the pressure is off and he can go about improving his game knowing that he’s got the first main win under his belt. This not only has built confidence, it’s delivered an easy baptism into what are ofter unchartered and dangerous waters for any emerging player. It’s the start he was after and for a player of Drewitt’s ability, there are bound to be more victories coming his way in the future as he finds his mark on the Australian amateur scene.
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