ROSEWOOD Golf Club’s latest Division 1 champion Jack Wojcicki has the attributes to take him much further in his sport.
He has risen from winning major junior events at the club to claiming his first senior A-Grade title at the recent four-round Gross tournament.
Aged 21, Jack recorded 297 against more experienced opponents to win the prized club championship by four shots.
His reaction summed up his professional approach and eagerness to advance further in amateur tournaments.
“I was happy but at the same time I was a little disappointed with rounds two and three,” Jack said.
“I made some mistakes and kept hanging in there.”
With a club handicap of plus one, he recovered superbly after needing seven strokes on the fourth hole in the final round.
Willowbank-based Jack Wojcicki enjoys spending time at his “home” golf course. Photo: LYLE RADFORD
Jack carried some valuable knowledge into the Rosewood championships, being in his third year as a greenskeeper at the Meadowbrook Golf Club.
The Willowbank-based golfer travels five or six days a week to Logan, enjoying his role at the 27-hole course.
Asked if his “hands on’’ greenskeeper role helped him in tournaments, Jack answered: “I’d say it does.
“It has its perks here and there but it also has its flaws – just knowing too much.”
Jack finished his secondary schooling at St Edmund’s College after earlier stints at Bethany Lutheran and Immaculate Heart primary schools.
He is a huge fan of the 18-hole Rosewood course having started golf 16 years ago after his dad David asked him what sport he wanted to play.
He won the Rosewood junior championships in 2013 and 2015, along with other senior club events like the Mug of Mugs title in 2018.
Growing up in Willowbank, he said his successes were due to “finding a bit more confidence” in his game “and just go for it rather than try and pick a certain shot or play a safe shot and just learning the greens”.
“It’s a friendly course but is very deceiving, which I like,” Jack said.
“Plus it’s my home track so I’m always going to love it.”
He rated the par four 16th hole his favourite.
“It’s gone from being a very tricky hole for me as a junior to now it’s a very driveable hole,” he said.
Rosewood Golf Club champion Jack Wojcicki. Photo: LYLE RADFORD
Jack said extra time practicing paid dividends at the latest club championships.
“I just put in the hours outside of the comp, just fine-tuning everything,” he said.
“All the little things.”
Having the right ingredients at the Rosewood club is also why Jack needs little motivation to work on his game.
“It’s the challenge being out in the open, with nature,” he said.
“It’s just the community around Rosewood. It’s quite welcoming and quite nice.
“It’s good to have like a little community you can rely on and it’s always going to be there for each other.”
Jack hopes to join Rosewood’s Division 1 pennants team for the annual Moreton Districts competition later in the year.
He also praised Ladies Division 1 Gross champion Elizabeth Nelson for her standout effort at the club’s major tournament.
“She’s just consistent, hitting it on the fairway, knock it on the green and just putt when it counts,” Jack said.
2024 Rosewood Golf Club Stroke Championships
Men Division 1 Gross champion: Jack Wojcicki 297. Runner up: Shanker Silvadorae 301.
Division 1 Nett champion: Jason Smith 290.
Division 2 Gross champion: Andrew Timperley (playoff) 334. Runner up: Kevin O'Connell (playoff) 334. Nett champion: Robert Farraway 283.
Division 3 Gross champion: Lachlan Petersen 359. Runner up: Col Gehrke 375.
Division 3 Nett champion: Ken Parker 303.
Ladies Division 1 Gross champion: Elizabeth Nelson 337. Runner up: Maree Humphreys 373.
Division 1 Nett champion: Sue Curran 310.
Division 2 Gross champion: Margaret Morton 427. Runner up: Janelle Browning 444.
Division 2 Nett champion: Natalie Sutton 338.
Senior's Overall Nett champion: John Piccini 304.