Ever since he laid hands on his first set of plastic clubs, Kiama Downs' Ethan Harvey knew he wanted to pursue a career on the fairways.
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Since then, his interest in the sport only grew.
That, combined with his exceptional dedication and commitment to his craft, has seen him win 26 competitions since his first in 2018.
His impressive return during that period, including taking out his first Kiama Golf Club men's championship as a 16-year-old (his lowest four-round score at the time), secured him his fourth straight Illawarra Academy of Sports' (IAS) Vic Burrows Golfer of the Year award.
"Winning my fourth golfer of the year award means so much to me as it shows my game is growing to new levels," Harvey said.
"This was my fifth and final year with the IAS, which has been an invaluable part of my career to date - providing me with knowledge on nutrition, social media, strength and conditioning, mental approach and extra golf tuition, not to mention selection in many different squads and teams.
"While it's my last year as an athlete, I thought it was important to give back to the program that's given me so much, so I'll be one of IAS' development coaches in 2022."
This recognition is a culmination of the Kiama High School student's work since getting his first handicap as an eight-year-old.
Fast forward to 2021, and the 18-year-old was on the verge of taking the next step in his career, after a rigorous training schedule that includes four practice sessions, two gym workouts and two competitions each week.
"This season has been my best to date, as all my practice and hard work started to pay off, along with my mental approach to my game," said Harvey, who thanked his parents for their ongoing support in the sport.
As well as being a member at Kiama for 10 years, Harvey has been involved with both The Lakes (Sydney) and Wollongong clubs for five and three years respectively.
"Both Kiama and The Lakes Golf Clubs have supported me equally through my career so far and are a big reason behind my success," the South Coast talent said.
"On top of those two, Warwick Dews has been my coach now for the past seven years and developed my golf swing to what it is today."
On top of scooping the IAS golf prize, the past 12 months has also seen Harvey finish equal-first at The Lake Medal and be crowned Wollongong's men's and junior champions as well as boys 16 and over Wagga Junior Masters champion.
The NSW CHS state team member and Australian Olympic change-maker recipient also record the largest winning margin (16 shots) at the Jack Newton Junior Golf North Coast Masters boys 16 and over tournament with his four-under.
"I always want to improve my game every year and achieve my goals, and my success this year has motivated me to try and reach greater heights in the future," he said.
"My next goals include qualifying for a professional tournament, win the 2021 Country Championship, finish top 10 in the NSW Amateur, selection in the NSW high-performance squad, win a number of NSW Vardon events and make the top 100 Australian order of merit."
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