![\"\"](\"https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2026\/07\/golf_03410.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
“Regardless, second is still a good result.<\/p>\n
\u201cCongrats to Ben (Ellul), he\u2019s a very good player and has been playing some really good golf along his journey.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe really deserved a win like that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Niall was quick to go one better, winning the Golf Peninsula Junior Masters, played over two days at Moonah Links and The Dunes, before adding the Eynesbury Junior Open to his list of 2026 tournament victories.<\/p>\n
He had to survive a playoff against a familiar face in 16-year-old Ryder Comer (handicap of 4,1), also from Neangar Park.<\/p>\n
Niall won at two under, triumphing on the second playoff hole.<\/p>\n
The reigning men\u2019s open champion at Neangar Park, Niall, who said a glut of golf was the perfect way to spend his recent school holidays.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt sounds like a heavy load, but it\u2019s thoroughly enjoyable,\u201d the Catherine McAuley College year 12 student said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s nothing much better than to be doing what you love doing.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s good fun.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m slightly dreading going back to school, but I\u2019m only going back for two days before I head down to Portsea on Thursday before I head down for the Portsea Open Amateur.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s one of the biggest amateur tournaments there is in Victoria and it pulls in some big names.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf I have a good showing there, I\u2019ll be pretty happy.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cObviously the break has been good, but the time is coming in year 12 where I put the head down.<\/p>\n \u201cIt will be tough to balance golf and school, but I\u2019ve managed so far.\u201d<\/p>\n He warmed up for Portsea by playing in the Rich River Amateur Open in Moama last Sunday.<\/p>\n Alston again headed north last week, this time to Sydney for a Next Gen event at St Michael\u2019s Golf Club.<\/p>\n On the longer term radar for both players is the Victorian Junior Golf Open at Curlewis Golf Club in September.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Neangar Park Golf Club has celebrated the efforts of all four players, who contested the Junior Victorian Amateur Championship, including the youngest of the quartet, 13-year-old Thomas Boucher.<\/p>\n \u201cOur boys represented Neangar Park with pride throughout the week, competing against some of Victoria’s best junior golfers under demanding conditions,\u201d club membership\/marketing coordinator Renae Boucher said.<\/p>\n \u201cA massive congratulations to Frankie Niall, who produced a sensational performance to finish equal runner-up, just two shots behind champion Ben Ellul.<\/p>\n \u201cArchie Alston also enjoyed an outstanding championship, finishing equal fourth on 213, only one shot behind Frankie in an incredibly competitive leaderboard.<\/p>\n \u201cWell done also to Ryder Comer and Thomas Boucher, who both embraced the challenge of one of Victoria’s premier junior events.<\/p>\n \u201cCompeting at this level is a fantastic achievement, and the experience gained will no doubt prove invaluable as they continue to develop their games.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" THERE’S no slowing Bendigo golfer Frankie Niall down at the moment. Fresh from his equal second-placing at the 2026 Victorian Junior Amateur Championship earlier this month, the 17-year-old Neangar Park member claimed back-to-back tournament wins in the Golf Peninsula Junior Masters and the Eynesbury Junior Open. Those wins have him primed for further success in […]<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2026\/07\/gq_05012.jpg\")