Blake Windred has taken out the top prize at The Jack. In a win that came down to the final two holes of the tournament, it was a nail-biting finish between Windred and Central Coast pro Nikki Garrett.Â
Newcastle local Windred shot 71 on the first day and came home strong shooting 65 on Wednesday to end up at six-under for the tournament.Â
Windred only turned pro at the end of 2019 but with the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, he feels like 2021Â has been his first full year.
RELATED: Blake Windred’s journey to professional golf
After spending time playing in the European Challenge Tour, the 24-year-old has now finished out the year on a massive high. He took out his maiden professional victory earlier this month at the Victorian PGA Championship at Moonah Links. He now adds The Jack 36-hole pro-am at Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley to his list of wins.Â
Windred said this particular win is close to his heart. Like most players that come through Jack Newton Junior Golf, he gives a lot of credit to Jack, Jackie, and the program for getting him prepared for a professional golf career. Starting with cadets at 9 years of age, Windred said the system has given him the ideal platform and left him a much better prepared and more mature player at 18 years of age than he would otherwise have been.Â
“Though Charlestown is my local club when home in Newcastle, every club in Newcastle feels like family and it is nice to be surrounded by that kind of support,” says Windred.
Former NRL player Sam Burgess took out the celebrity top prize, with Charlie Robbins in second place and equal third went to Tim Brasher and Frank Barrett
The festivities will finish Wednesday night with the final event, the victors will take home their prizes and the entertainment will flow on into the evening. It’s the ideal chance for new and old friends to wish each other the best before they head home for Christmas and start making plans in advance to come to next year’s event at the Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley.Â
[IMAGES: Tim Bradshaw]
