Father-and-son pairing Mark and Jovi Gibson are the 2024 Mini Golf champions of Western Australia after winning a thrilling final at Wembley. The Gibson duo were one of four teams to finish tied on 41 strokes (4-under par) after 18 holes of the pairs better-ball competition, with all teams agreeing to contest a playoff rather than have a countback decide the title. Last year’s junior champions, Ethan Hews and Jackson Tait, were eliminated at the first extra hole, with Liam Sullivan and Riley Schafer dropping out at the next to finish third. Wembley’s long, sweeping 13th hole saw the final action of the contest, which was a head-to-head between the Gibsons and the defending open division champions, Ross Nagle and John Taylor. Playing first, Nagle and Taylor could do no better than a 4 between them, opening the door for their rivals, and Jovi Gibson made a birdie three to clinch it. As well as the state title, the Gibsons won the $1000 top prize. Seven-handicapper Jovi, a member at WAGC and Lake Karrinyup, was delighted to chalk up a bona fide state title. “It means quite a bit,” he told GolfWA. “I’ve won a nett division at state events before but not an open category, and I’ve never won money before, so that’s pretty nice! “I was really relying on Jovi to sink all the putts today and show me the lines, and that paid off nicely!” said dad Mark, a casual golfer himself. “We can say we’re state champions in something and not many people can say that, so from that point of view [this event] is a great initiative.” The Gibsons weren’t the only family team to celebrate victory at Wembley, with brothers Artur and Adem Dali recording a one-stroke victory in the Junior Division and taking home the $500 top prize.