Samantha Clifton Breaks Through with Thrilling Queensland Ladies Classic Victory
By Matt Stevens
A dramatic debut Open Division win for the rising 19-year-old star from NSW,
The future arrived this weekend at Caboolture Bowl as 19-year-old Samantha Clifton captured her first Open Division crown, winning the 2025 Queensland Ladies Classic in dramatic fashion to announce herself as a major new force in Australian women’s bowling.
The third event of the TBA Women’s Division season delivered three thrilling stages—14 games of qualifying, a Top 16 showdown, and a high-stakes Finals bracket—with the rising star from New South Wales holding her nerve to claim the 26th title in one of the most prestigious events in the TBA Women’s calendar.
Whiting Leads Early as Big Names Emerge
The opening day of qualifying saw six-time event champion Bec Whiting return to familiar territory at the top of the leaderboard. Averaging 201.9 across her eight games, Whiting posted a high game of 259 in Game 5 to close Day 1 with a total of 1,615. A pair of Queenslanders in Kylie Bailey and defending champion Alicia Melton trailed closely, with Clifton rounding out the top four.
Sunday’s six-game sprint reshuffled the deck. Whiting held firm with 1,135 to finish qualifying on 2,750, but Clifton surged, closing the gap to just four pins. Bailey dropped to third, and Melton slipped to seventh after a slower start, while Jamie Phelan stormed up the standings from 9th to 4th.
Top 16 Stage: The Push for Finals Begins
The Top 16 qualifiers returned for a crucial four-game block that would determine the all-important Top 8 to progress to the finals bracket—where a top-four finish promised the coveted “double chance” under the McIntyre Footy Finals Format.
Whiting continued her dominance, firing an 803 series to hold onto the top seed. Clifton remained locked in, claiming the second seed just 34 pins back. Phelan’s hot streak lifted her to third, while senior rankings leader Dena Buxton secured fourth.
The remaining bracket spots went to Kylie Bailey (5th), Alicia Melton (6th), Jasmine Walker (7th), and Madeline FitzRoy (8th)—who edged out youth bowler Vanessa Hannigan by just four pins.
Footy Finals Format Delivers the Drama
The business end of the tournament began with the McIntyre Footy Finals Format, where the top four bowlers earned a valuable double chance and an opportunity to fast track toward the title match.
In the opening round, the two standout performers of the weekend kept rolling. Bec Whiting was clinical against fellow Victorian Dena Buxton, winning 209–178 to move into the preliminary final. On the other side of the draw, Samantha Clifton dismantled Jamie Phelan 237–167 in a confident display of shot-making under pressure.
Meanwhile, the elimination bracket delivered its share of thrills. Madeline FitzRoy toppled Kylie Bailey 217–173 to stay alive, while Alicia Melton—a two-time champion—showed her class with a 235–141 victory over Jasmine Walker, ending the junior Queenslander’s run.
Momentum swung hard in the second round of eliminations. FitzRoy edged Buxton in a five-pin nail-biter, 188–183, continuing her remarkable push from the eighth seed. Melton, meanwhile, delivered the performance of the tournament—an electrifying 277–189 demolition of Phelan that eliminated the South Australian.
But the dream runs would end there.
In the preliminary finals, Clifton proved too strong for FitzRoy, winning 233–203 to book her place in the title match. On the opposite side, Whiting outlasted Melton in a high-quality showdown between past champions, emerging with a 239–223 win to set up a grand final between the weekend’s top two bowlers.
Final Showdown
The final was set: Bec Whiting, chasing a record-extending seventh crown, versus Samantha Clifton, hoping to capture her first Open title.
The nerves were evident early—neither bowler able to string strikes together in the opening frames, but both stayed clean. Clifton struck in the 2nd and 5th frames; Whiting finally found her first mark in the 6th, then strung together a pair of strikes to take a narrow lead into the final stages.
In the 10th, Whiting left the door ajar with a nervy 6 on her first shot, followed by a frustrating 3—finishing on 185.
Clifton, spared a tricky 8, then delivered a clutch strike to seal the deal in confident fashion: 195–188.
Whiting was the first to greet her young opponent, embracing Clifton in a classy show of sportsmanship. Clifton beamed with a grin stretching ear to ear—a new name etched into Queensland Ladies Classic history.
At just 19, Samantha Clifton becomes the first New South Wales bowler in a decade to win the Queensland Ladies Classic—Emma Walsh last did so in 2015. A Junior Rankings Champion in 2022 and the reigning Youth Rankings Champion (2024), Clifton now adds a prestigious Open Division title to her growing resume.
Bowling out of Dullboys Social Co. in Warners Bay, New South Wales, the smooth right-hander has already represented Australia at multiple levels. With Youth Rankings still in her sights—and now the Open Rankings well and truly in play—2025 could be a massive year for one of the brightest young stars in the game.
WINNERS JOURNEY – SAMANTHA CLIFTON (NSW)
Qualifying – Day 1 – 8 Games
| 214 | 174 | 186 | 162 |
| 235 | 186 | 228 | 176 |
| Total 8 Game Qualifying | 1,561 |
| Average | 195.1 |
| Position | 4th – trailing by 54 pins from the leader Bec Whiting |
Qualifying – Day 2 – 6 games
| 178 | 158 | 223 |
| 224 | 188 | 214 |
| 6 Game Total | 1,185 |
| Total 14 Game Qualifying | 2,746 |
| Average | 196.1 |
| Position | 2nd – trailing by 4 pins from the leader Bec Whiting |
Top 16 – 4 Games with pinfall carried
| 176 | 225 | 194 | 178 |
| 4 Game Total | 773 |
| Total after 18 games | 3,519 |
| Position | Receives 2nd seed for bracket, trailing Bec Whiting by 34 pins |
Top 8 – Finals Bracket Results
- Qualifying Final – Samantha Clifton defeats Jamie Phelan 237-167
- Preliminary Final – Samantha Clifton defeats Madeline FitzRoy 233-203
- Grand Final – Samantha Clifton defeats Bec Whiting 195-188
WINNERS HIGH GAME
Samantha Clifton – 235
TOP 10
- Samantha Clifton (NSW)
- Bec Whiting (VIC)
- Alicia Melton (QLD)
- Madeline FitzRoy (QLD)
- Jamie Phelan (SA)
- Dena Buxton (VIC)
- Kylie Bailey (QLD)
- Jasmine Walker (QLD)
- Vanessa Hannigan (NSW)
- Siarn Ottaviano (WA)
TOURNAMENT HIGH GAME
Alicia Melton – 277
Future Frames
A big thank you to Brian Bates and the team at Caboolture Bowl for once again delivering a top-class event—backing up brilliantly after hosting two consecutive weekends of nationally ranked competition, including last week’s Kegel QLD Open.
Three events down, two to go in the 2025 TBA Women’s Division season.
Next up: the NSW Open at iPlay Tenpin City in Lidcombe, running 12–14 September.
With three different winners from three events so far, the race for the 2025 crown is well and truly alive. Entries for the NSW Open will open soon. Keep an eye on the event page for updates!
QUEENSLAND LADIES CLASSIC
CHAMPIONS LIST
| Year | Name |
| 1999 | Kirstie Mills |
| 2000 | Kelly Warren |
| 2001 | Kelly Warren |
| 2002 | Kelly Warren |
| 2003 | Sam Warby |
| 2004 | Ann Maree Putney |
| 2005 | Ann Maree Putney |
| 2006 | Natalie Shelley |
| 2007 | Kate Wilton |
| 2008 | Kara Triulcio |
| 2009 | Ann Maree Putney |
| 2010 | Rebecca Whiting |
| 2011 | Rebecca Whiting |
| 2012 | Alicia Melton |
| 2013 | Kate Pilkington |
| 2014 | Rebecca Whiting |
| 2015 | Emma Walsh |
| 2016 | Bec Martin |
| 2017 | Rebecca Whiting |
| 2018 | Rebecca Whiting |
| 2019 | Rebecca Whiting |
| 2021 | Bianca Flanagan |
| 2022 | Rebekah Commane |
| 2023 | Rebekah Martin |
| 2024 | Alicia Melton |
| 2025 | Samantha Clifton |
