STEPH Baker’s outstanding year on the golf course has been rewarded with a nomination for the Northern Mallee Sports Star of the Year for 2024.
The Riverside Golf Club member was nominated for the October monthly award by the Murray Darling Golf Association after her performance at the Victorian Junior Country Championships in Heathcote.
Baker demonstrated remarkable composure to clinch a play-off hole victory and take out the top individual girls honour. At this event Baker was co-captain of the Murray Darling Golf Association team, which fielded a full squad of 11 players.
Over the course of 2024 Baker has also been prolific at local level, winning the Robinvale Women’s Open, the Coomealla Women’s Open, the Red Cliffs Women’s Open, and the Riverside Women’s Club Championship.
She has represented Riverside at pennant level, and has been invited to represent both Keysborough and Commonwealth golf clubs at pennant this year.
As a result of recent scores under par, Bakers has been awarded a plus handicap – putting her in the top 1 per cent of all women golfers in Australia.
Baker has also qualified to enter the Honda LPGA event in Thailand next April, a significant milestone in her promising golfing career.
Baker joins Carolyn Coles (lawn bowls), Kaylene Geddes (golf), Jarod Waters (speedway), Sophie Bowring (roller derby), Charlie Cooper (boxing), Sophie Thomson (water ski racing), Kris Tonner (jiu jitsu) and Bodey Burnham (ji jitsu) as the current nominees for the Manolas Trophy.
The awards night will be held on Friday, February 21, 2025 at the Club Da Vinci, Mildura.
Mallee Sports Assembly is now calling for November nominations for Sports Star of the Year Awards. Nomination forms are available from 101-101a Ninth Street, Mildura or at www.malleesportsassembly.org.au.
For further information call 5021 3464.
