Melbourne, Australia: Nadene Gole, a member of the triumphant Australian team at last year’s Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) Senior Women’s Amateur Championship, has become the world’s top-ranked senior female amateur golfer.

“It’s surreal,” said Gole, who also placed third individually in the inaugural APGC Senior Women’s Amateur Championship at Malaysia’s Kota Permai Golf and Country Club, behind champion Hiroko Oga of Japan and fellow-Australian Sue Wooster.

The 54-year-old’s victory at the New Zealand Senior Women’s Amateur Championship at Whakatane Golf Club late last month took her to the summit after four victories in seven starts in World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) events.

“It’s a wonderful thing to be able to achieve because there are a lot of successful golfers from around the world that are now playing seniors’ golf,” Gole, a former professional golfer, told the Golf Australia website.

“My attitude is that I just go out and play golf, but going into this year I had a little a bit of an idea that this may come about. I always give it 100% so it is an added bonus that I’ve come out on top.”

On the back of her latest success, Gole has risen to 204th in the WAGR, but is the highest ranked woman amateur golfer above the age of 25.

“Now having achieved this, I would still like to hold this position and gain a few more titles,” she said. “It’s a great thing for Australia for someone to golf that mantle. I’m not sure if it’s ever happened before but I’m happy to hold it.”

Gole played in Europe during her professional days but returned home in 1997 and gave away the game until she re-joined Victoria Golf Club in 2014 and eventually regained amateur status.

“It was something I wanted to get back into, but I was still a professional,” she said. “You keep status, but you don’t use it. I just really wanted to be a club golfer to play with my husband and my friends.”