Two of the Northern Territory’s best young golfers have won scholarships from the Rotary Club of Darwin to further their careers in the sport.

Teenage stars Sophie Minchinton, 12, from Darwin and Sam Rumpff, 16, from Alice Springs are this year’s recipients.

They are both part of the Golf Australia Junior Emerging Talent programs in the NT.

As part of the scholarships, they will receive funding for trips to Queensland in June-July to spend time working with the High Performance staff of GA and also to play in a top level state event.

Sam Rumpff won the junior section of the NT Classic in Alice Springs this year and was runner-up in the NT Country Championships. He believes the scholarship will help him to become the best version of himself as a player.

“It means the world to me,” he said. “I’ve been working really hard on my game in recent and felt like it has been in a really good spot, especially the last half of the year.

“I feel like being in the most remote part of the country is a massive barrier as it restricts access to courses coached and facilities, and receiving this scholarship gives me access to some of the best coaches in the country and being able to practise and learn with the best players in Queensland and in the country.

“It gives me something to strive for and another downside living remotely means there’s not a lot of competition and a lack of juniors to be able to push myself against. Seeing these players it gives me something to chase, a goal for the big leagues and more passion to become the best player I can be.”

Sophie Minchinton’s golf journey began with junior golf clinics at Darwin Golf Club when she was 10. She began with a GA handicap of 37 but by the time she was 11, she had shaved it down to 23, and she was added to the JET program in January, 2024. She won the nett championship at the Katherine Open and handicap section of the Darwin Open.

Her handicap has plummeted to 13 and her aim is to reach 12 by Christmas this year and single figures in 2025. Ultimately, she has set a target of turning professional and reaching the LPGA Tour in the United States.

About the Rotary Scholarships:

The Rotary Club of Darwin has committed to providing $3000 to two of Golf Australia's Northern Territory Junior Emerging Talent (JET) Program participants, on an annual basis, to travel to Queensland and attend various golf events and training programs.

The JET program is designed to give junior golfers in the Northern Territory a pathway to help them grow as golfers and young people in the community. JET program participants already receive high performance coaching, sports psychology, and exposure to Golf Australia events, but this new scholarship deal will allow these opportunities to be taken to the next level.

The new annual scholarships will allow two junior golfers, a boy and a girl, assistance to travel to Brisbane over the June/July school holidays with a family member.

The recipients of the Rotary Club Junior Golf Scholarship become eligible for the following:

• Entry into a high-profile Queensland junior event. • PGA Professional sessions (in Queensland). • Play golf with members from the Queensland’s High-Performance program. • Visit Queensland Academy of Sport (QAS) and spend time with QLD’s QAS squad. • Flights and accommodation.