Sugar Valley member Maree Evans joined an exclusive club when she won the women’s Australian Deaf Golf Championship at Barwon Heads, in Victoria, on January 20.

Evans carded 365 (92-88-95-90) to win the ladies’ gross by eight strokes from Queenslander Jennifer Maric (373) on Barwon Heads’ par-72 Beach and Creek courses.

After the tournament Evans was selected to make her international debut in golf for Australia at the World Deaf Golf Championships in Mie, Japan, in October.

The Barwon Heads victory came in Evans’s first appearance at the deaf championships, but the multi-skilled sportswoman has been a long-time national competitor on the tennis court.

In 1994, she won her first Australian deaf tennis singles and doubles titles at Adelaide and repeated the effort in 2002. Evans represented Australia at tennis in the US in 1995 and England in 2002 and played in the green and gold at the 2005 Deaf Olympics in Melbourne.

Her first triumph on the fairways was equally satisfying for the 10-marker, who has honed her skills on the nine-hole Sugar Valley course.

‘‘It was definitely good to have four good rounds of golf on two of the top-25 golf courses in Australia,’’ Evans said.

‘‘I was pretty nervous when I first arrived at Barwon Heads and saw the 13th beach course and the creek course.

‘‘There were lots of deep bunkers, narrow fairways and rolling greens, so it was a big thrill to win the championships there.’’

Evans held a two-shot lead over Maric after the opening round. That advantage blew out to 15 strokes heading into the final day.

Maric then cut the deficit by five shots by shooting 11-over 83, the best round of the tournament. Deaf golf is played under the same rules, however, at the Australian championships no competitors were allowed to wear a hearing aid.

Evans, who is profoundly deaf, picked up the clubs 13 years ago at Sugar Valley.

She plays competition golf once or twice a week at the West Wallsend course and travels to Sydney some weekends to play with fellow NSW deaf golfers.

‘‘The game helps me to meet new people and and I just love being outdoors,’’ Evans said.