Former Kyabram Parkland Golf Club member Brett Kellow has been named as one of four Order of Merit winners from across the state.
Brett topped Victoria after playing a year’s worth of state Order of Merit tournaments, racking up 873 points to beat second-placegetter Matthew Dahlsen by a massive 151-point margin to clinch Victorian Men’s Ivo Whitton Trophy.
Winners were judged on a scoring system based on graded event placings from November 2023 until October 2024, and in the men’s category Brett proved unbeatable.
“I’ve sort of been playing on and off for the last 10 years really, but I just decided to have a little bit of a crack this year,” he said.
“I played 14 events for the year, I think I finished top 10 in 13 of those, top five in nine of them and then had four wins as well.
“I had a very consistent year.”
Brett’s consistency may be rewarded with a berth in the 2025 Victorian Open which would be a first time honour.
In the past, the Ivo Whitton winner has got an invitation into the Victorian Open.
“I’m still waiting to hear whether or not that is still the case, but in previous years that’s what has happened,” he said.
“Fingers crossed I get an invite to that event, that would be great.”
Brett labelled his Ivo Whitton Trophy collection as “nearly top of the list” of his golfing achievements, and reaching the Victorian Open would surely rank high, should all things go to plan.
However, among his many wins for 2024, Brett may not have had a more thrilling finish than his Mooroopna Golf Club Championship victory.
Brett and Jordan Geisler had an epic duel, with the former ending the final one-up to clinch the Mooroopna club title for the eighth time on the first extra play-off hole.
While Kellow has travelled far and wide in 2024 to play the sport he loves and excels at he’s not resting on his laurels.
He intends to play the Australian Amateur Championships on January 14-17 at Melbourne’s Cranbourne and Commonwealth golf clubs.
The last time Commonwealth hosted the nation’s premier amateur tournament in 2013, the winners were Cameron Smith and Minjee Lee, who both currently sit inside the world top 100.
Brett cut his teeth in the sport playing at Kyabram’s Parkland Golf Club as a 16 and 17-year-old when he won a junior championship before tackling the longer course at Tatura’s Hill Top.