Trefor Clayton

Sports management had always been an interest for Trefor Clayton from both the personal mentoring dimension and the commercial dimension. Elite athletes face enormous challenges in transitioning to the professional ranks. Optimal performance in their endeavour cannot be achieved without the best coaching, mentoring and financial backing.

Contender Sports was established in 2012 to provide some financial and practical support to elite golfers, initially working with Matt Stieger and Brett Drewitt. Both these athletes were from country NSW - Narrabri and Inverell respectively. They had worked hard through the junior ranks representing NSW and ultimately, for Matt Stieger, Australia, in the Eisenhower Cup.

Their families, along with Golf Clubs in Sydney, supported them as amateurs but they needed further backing if they were to progress in the professional ranks.

Contender Sports provided support and played a central role in obtaining funding from Golf Australia.

Matt Stieger has successfully played on the Australian and Asian Tours since turning pro in 2012 and Brett Drewitt has established himself on the Korn Ferry tour. Contender Sports was key to helping them on their career pathways by facilitating their Q School entries in Asia and China.

From this beginning Contender Sports has now assisted seven golfers and has built a good reputation in the industry and especially with Golf Australia, the PGA Australia and the Asian Tour. Engagement with women’s Australian and international golf tours has developed as a result of work with Ash Nisbet (nee Ona) and Sarah Kemp. In May 2020 Trefor joined the Board of the ALPG.

Currently Contender Sports Management works with Darren Beck and Sarah Kemp, who have been on tour for a number of years, Travis Smyth, who turned pro on 2017, and rookie James Grierson. In 2022 Kelsey Bennett, who is a member of the NSW and Australia amateur teams joined the team at Contender Sports.

Golfer’s individual needs for management support differ depending on the extent that they are established on tour and the support network they have. Contender Sports has been successful in obtaining sponsorship support and can help sort out the minutiae of tax, travel and scheduling which cause headaches for the touring golfer.

Alumni

Featured
Brett Drewitt
Brett Drewitt

Brett Drewitt took a really smart way to get on the Web.com Tour via the PGA China Tour series. Brett obtained status on the China Tour in only its second year of becoming linked to the Web.com tour. A win on that tour helped cement his place in the all-important top 5 on the OOM to gain conditional status on the Web.com Tour. He has played professional golf in the US since 2015 and has maintained status on the Web.com tour. He is now fully resident in the USA married with one child. A long journey from Inverell!

Ashley Nisbett (Ona)
Ashley Nisbett (Ona)

Ashley was successful on the ALPG for a number of years and was determined to try and succeed overseas. In 2016 she had a tilt at gaining status on the Symetra Tour, the feeder tour of the LPGA. Despite great preparation it wasn’t to be. Ultimately Ash decided to take a break.

Since 2017 Ash has worked with Richard Woodhouse at KDV Sports on the Gold Coast. She is now a successful personal trainer and will undoubtedly continue to build her reputation in this field.

Matt Stieger
Matt Stieger

Matt Stieger qualified for the Australian Tour via winning the NSW PGA Championships in December 2012. He quickly followed this up by qualifying for the Asian Tour. In his 7th year on tour Matt continues to show his talent with a vast array of shot making. He moved from Sydney to Newcastle during 2018 and decided to make a few changes in his support team at that time.