AmateurGolf.com's Players of the Month: January 2023
31 Jan 2023
by Jim Young of AmateurGolf.com
see also: Mateo Fernandez de Oliveira Rankings
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Five amateurs hailing from four different countries celebrated the New Year with wins and strong performances all over the world.
For the first time, Englishman donned the green jacket at the Australian Master of the Amateurs and an Argentine earned exemptions into three majors with a record-setting victory at the Latin America Amateur Championship in Puerto Rico. An Aussie stayed home to put her name on The Avondale Bowl, while two seniors notched big wins in Florida.
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AmateurGolf.com's Players of the Month for January, 2023
JOHN GOUGH
This much we know about John Gough - his game travels well. The Englishman got his New Year off to a roaring start by winning the
Australian Master of the Amateurs with a 15-under score of 273 at Southern Golf Club in Melbourne. He followed up his win in Melbourne with a top-10 finish at the Australian Men's Amateur (t-9) and a second-place finish at the Avondale Amateur.
His victory at the Australian Masters of the Amateurs was his fifth win on three continents in less than three years following his victories at the
Palmetto Amateur (2021),
English Amateur,
Spanish International (2022) and
Lytham Trophy (2022).
MATEO FERNANDEZ de OLIVIERA
Mateo Fernandez de Oliveira has knocked on the door of victory at the Latin America Amateur Championship before, only to be turned away. However, the Argentine took matters into his own hands at the Grand Reserve Golf Club in Puerto Rico, where he took a four-stroke lead into the final round and
cruised to a four-stroke victory with a record score of 23-under par. The win gains Fernandez de Oliviera exemptions into three majors in 2023, including the Masters, the U.S. Open and the Open Championship.
CLAIRE SHIN
The Australian had quite a busy - and successful - month of January. After recording top-10 finishes at the Women's Masters of the Amateurs (9th) and the Australian Women's Amateur (t-6), Shin won
The Avondale Bowl in Sydney by seven shots with rounds of 71, 71, 67 and 72 to end the tournament 7-under par. She wrapped up the month by reaching the semifinals of the New South Wales Women's Amateur.
MARK LINDBERG
Starting his first full year as a senior golfer, the Texan held off
U.S. and
Canadian Senior Amateur champion
Rusty Strawn to capture his first senior title at the
Gateway Senior Invitational in Fort Myers, Fla. After rounds of 68-74, Lindberg held a one-shot lead over Strawn and then outdueled him with a closing 70. He then followed up with a top-10 finish at the Heron Creek Senior Invitational (t-4).
JAMES STARNES
Starnes closed with back-to-back rounds of 70 to win the super senior division of the
Gateway Senior Invitational by one shot over a crowded leaderboard. The Fort Myers, Fla. resident also posted top-10 finishes at the Plantation Super Senior (t-6) and the Heron Creek Super Senior (t-7).