Rising stars shine in Cameron Smith Junior Classic

Published 5:03am 19 December 2025

Words by Nick Crockford

Images: Courtesy of Wantima Country Club.

Main image: Jack Faulkner (from Qualia Wealth), Winner Tony Woojin Cho, Shane Johnsson and Ken McKay (Organisers of the CSJC).

Two new champions are on the Cameron Smith Junior Classic honours board after impressive and contrasting victories at Wantima Country Club.

Tony Woojin Cho was the runaway overall boys’ gross winner, while Jazarah Kamu needed a marathon play-off to land the girls’ crown.

Cho, from Brisbane Golf Club, shot a stunning 64, which included a hole-in-one at the par three fifth hole in his opening round.

He followed with second round 69, matching runner-up Oliver Wright from Pacific Golf Club, to land the 36-hole title by five strokes.

Jazarah, from Royal Queensland, tied with Alicia Ludi, from Sanctuary Cove, after both carded rounds of 71 and 74 for two-round totals of 145.

That forced a play-off which eventually saw Jazarah triumph on the sixth extra hole at Brendale on Friday evening (December 12).

Ethan Lenh, from Oxley Golf Club, finished third in the A Grade gross competition with 68 and 72 for a 140 total, but took home the boys’ nett award.

Alicia Pham, from Links Hope Island Golf Club, was the A Grade girls’ nett winner and finished fifth in the gross tournament after rounds of 76 and 74.

See the photo gallery at the end of this story.

There was lavish praise for the event from Damien Moffat, whose daughter Phoebe, from Townsville Golf Club, was in the girls’ A Grade competition.

He said on Facebook: “We would like to thank Cameron, Mel and Des for their assistance on Friday after what can only be described as a once-in-a-lifetime event.

“Between the Smith family and the community at Wantima Country Club they have made our trip down definitely a memorable one.”

Cameron Smith, fresh from finishing second at the Australian Open, spent hours on the course watching and joined the greenkeepers for breakfast.

Noosa’s Archie Lethbridge had a five-shot victory in the B Grade competition, while Kobe Streat, from Virginia) won the C Grade on countback from Lachlan Balfour of Wantima.

In the B Grade, Rafael Ovcaric, from Burleigh Golf Club, won the boys’ nett award with 152 and Paige Prosser, of Headland Golf Club, the girls’ section on 174.

The Cameron Smith Little Rippers 9 Hole Classic saw Parker Hohnke (35) beat his Wantima club colleague James Cross (37) to the Division One title.

In the girls’ Division One, Jamie Thomas, from Nudgee Goilf Club, was six clear of Isabelle Miller, from McLeod Golf Club.

The 2025 tournaments were the last to be played over 36 holes. Next year, organisers plan to make the main Cameron Smith Junior Classic a 54-hole event over three days.

It started as a one-day 18-hole competition in 2017 before moving to 36 holes over two days in 2022 and attracts entries from across Queensland and interstate.

Cameron Smith, 32, who grew up in Bray Park and went to Pine Rivers State High School, started his golf career as a junior at Wantima.

He turned professional in 2013 and in 2022 won both in The Players Championship and his first major - the 150th (British) Open at St Andrews.

Smith is now on the LIV Golf Tour. Last year his Ripper GC side won the LIV Team title and is a partner with Australia’s official junior introductory program MyGolf.

Boys’ 36-hole A Grade

1 - Tony Woojin Cho (Brisbane) 64 69 - 133

2 - Oliver Wright (Pacific) 69 69 - 138

3 - Ethan Lenh (Oxley) 68 72 - 140

B Grade

1 - Archie Lethbridge (Noosa) 75 71 - 146

2 - Carter Botha (Links Hope) 75 76 - 151

3 - Sebastian McLeod (Burleigh) 74 77 - 151

C Grade

1 - Kobe Streat (Virginia) 87 80 - 167 (on countback)

2 - Lachlan Balfour (Wantima) 81 86 - 167 (on countback)

3 - Rico Avolio (Townsville) 79 92 - 171