Thomsen & Fuller Crowned NSW Amateur Champions

by Kassidy Rogan

Lara Thomsen and Josh Fuller have claimed the 2026 NSW Amateur Championships in vastly different fashion, with Fuller producing a masterclass in matchplay dominance while Thomsen battled through a 35-hole marathon to secure her breakthrough victory.

Fuller’s 10 & 8 demolition of West Australian Adam Baillie was built on a scorching nine-under par morning round that left his opponent with no way back. The 24-year-old from The Vintage Golf Club was five-up at the turn and simply never relented.

Josh Fuller in action during the final round.

“Played really, really good this morning. Adam played really good, but I just made a few putts in the last five or six holes to put me up,” Fuller said.

“I gave myself a lot of good looks early, and they didn’t drop, and then they started to drop later.”

The victory ends a multi-year winless drought for Fuller and comes just a week after he let a winning opportunity slip at the Avondale Amateur.

“I expected to contend, but to win, it’s always amazing,” he said.

“I haven’t won for a fair few years now, and to win the state amateur – my state amateur – it’s really nice. This is my best win by far.”

The women’s final delivered drama of a different kind. Thomsen, 17, held just a two-up advantage over 13-year-old clubmate Sophie Tong after the morning round, setting up an afternoon session that would test every aspect of her game.

Lara Thomsen in action during the final round.

The match swung back and forth before Thomsen finally sealed victory on the 35th hole, 3&1, to claim her first major amateur title.

“I can’t believe that I finally won such a big event like this,” Thomsen said.

“I’m so proud of myself. This is definitely my biggest win so far.”

Fresh out of school and dedicating herself to golf full-time, Thomsen had her coach Josh on the bag – a partnership that proved crucial in the pressure moments.

“All last year I’ve been focusing on school, and finally I’m out of school and really put work into my golf,” she said.

“I practised really hard, doing a lot of things with my coach Josh, and it’s all paying off.”

While her ball-striking wasn’t at its sharpest, Thomsen’s scrambling ability saw her through against the talented youngster.

“I kind of just scrambled really well, to be honest. I just scrapped it around really good,” she said.

“You’re only playing your opponent, not the course. It wasn’t stroke play today, but I was just playing Sophie, and she’s such a good golfer. But I got it done, which is all that matters.”

The win eclipses Thomsen’s previous best NSW Amateur result – a semifinal appearance at Belmont – and ticks off a long-held ambition.

“I’ve always wanted to be in a final at the New South Wales Amateur, and I did it. So that was a goal ticked off, and I won it,” she said.

Support from family and friends who made the trip from Wollongong added to the occasion, while Fuller’s family witnessed him claim a tournament victory for the first time.

“They haven’t seen me win yet, so to be able to watch me win has been very special,” Fuller said.