Its official!
Took out the Port Fairy Club Championships last sunday. Shot rounds of 77, 82, 74 and 80 for 313 total and a 2 shot win. I'm the first to admit that these aren't the greatest scores in the world but it's our winter over here and all 4 rounds were played in 2 - 4 club winds and a little rain here or there thrown in for good measure. Typical links golf really.
So with the 77 in the first round I held a 1 shot lead, then was tied for the lead after the 82 and the 74. Ironically last year I was tied for the lead and shot lower on sunday but lost by a shot, so it really was a strange day.
I bogeyed 3 out of the first 4 holes and it looked like it was going to be a blowout as I slipped 2 shots back. But I strung together 5 straight pars to shoot 39 for the front and was tied for the lead after the other guy doubled the short par 3 eighth.
Pars on 10 and 11 still kept me tied and on 12 (510 yard par 5) I knocked it on in two while the other guy lost a ball in the marrum grass, taking a 7. Pars on the next two holes to his bogies gave me a 5 shot lead at 2 over for the round, with 4 holes to play. Then I had a brain fart. The 15th is a 210 yard par 3 with a 'valley of sin' on the right. I hit it in there every time without fail, and today was no different. Got it out to about 12 feet but rushed the putt 5 foot past and lipped out coming back. Lead cut back to 3 with 3. 16 is a 370 yard par 4 dogleg left with OB right and trouble on the corner. I'd been playing beautiful baby draws all day and for some reason I decided to aim down the right and fade it back to the centre. Hit the same baby draw as all day to put a ball out of bounds. Bogey second ball to make 7 and lead cut back to 1 after his 5.
17 is a straight 390 yard par 4 with OB right and not much trouble left unless you go long left. Hit a decent ball down the centre and wedged on to about 35 feet. Hit the putt 4 foot past and again lipped out coming back. All square after his par and pretty mad at this stage.
18 is a 530 yard par 5 with pines down the right at driver length and tea-tree and fairway bunkers on the left. My opponent hit a weak ball down the right and we heard it clip the pines. I smacked my driver just right of centre and about 280 long, then my opponent hit a provisional just to be on the safe side, down the centre. Well we walked around under those pines for the full 5 minutes and found 3 balls on the ground and even 2 stuck in them, but none of them my opponents. Lost ball, presumably stuck in the trees. Sad thing to happen to the poor guy.
From there he hit his provisional ball down the centre. I laid up with 3 iron to about 40 yards short. He wedged on to about 15 feet and I chipped up to about 8 feet. He holed his putt for a 6, just keeping a little pressure on. I was basically only trying to lag my putt to the hole but it actually fell in for a birdie and the win.
Redemption for last years loss!
Quite a few drinks had to celebrate!
Here is the link for the local newspaper article written about it.
Took out the Port Fairy Club Championships last sunday. Shot rounds of 77, 82, 74 and 80 for 313 total and a 2 shot win. I'm the first to admit that these aren't the greatest scores in the world but it's our winter over here and all 4 rounds were played in 2 - 4 club winds and a little rain here or there thrown in for good measure. Typical links golf really.
So with the 77 in the first round I held a 1 shot lead, then was tied for the lead after the 82 and the 74. Ironically last year I was tied for the lead and shot lower on sunday but lost by a shot, so it really was a strange day.
I bogeyed 3 out of the first 4 holes and it looked like it was going to be a blowout as I slipped 2 shots back. But I strung together 5 straight pars to shoot 39 for the front and was tied for the lead after the other guy doubled the short par 3 eighth.
Pars on 10 and 11 still kept me tied and on 12 (510 yard par 5) I knocked it on in two while the other guy lost a ball in the marrum grass, taking a 7. Pars on the next two holes to his bogies gave me a 5 shot lead at 2 over for the round, with 4 holes to play. Then I had a brain fart. The 15th is a 210 yard par 3 with a 'valley of sin' on the right. I hit it in there every time without fail, and today was no different. Got it out to about 12 feet but rushed the putt 5 foot past and lipped out coming back. Lead cut back to 3 with 3. 16 is a 370 yard par 4 dogleg left with OB right and trouble on the corner. I'd been playing beautiful baby draws all day and for some reason I decided to aim down the right and fade it back to the centre. Hit the same baby draw as all day to put a ball out of bounds. Bogey second ball to make 7 and lead cut back to 1 after his 5.
17 is a straight 390 yard par 4 with OB right and not much trouble left unless you go long left. Hit a decent ball down the centre and wedged on to about 35 feet. Hit the putt 4 foot past and again lipped out coming back. All square after his par and pretty mad at this stage.
18 is a 530 yard par 5 with pines down the right at driver length and tea-tree and fairway bunkers on the left. My opponent hit a weak ball down the right and we heard it clip the pines. I smacked my driver just right of centre and about 280 long, then my opponent hit a provisional just to be on the safe side, down the centre. Well we walked around under those pines for the full 5 minutes and found 3 balls on the ground and even 2 stuck in them, but none of them my opponents. Lost ball, presumably stuck in the trees. Sad thing to happen to the poor guy.
From there he hit his provisional ball down the centre. I laid up with 3 iron to about 40 yards short. He wedged on to about 15 feet and I chipped up to about 8 feet. He holed his putt for a 6, just keeping a little pressure on. I was basically only trying to lag my putt to the hole but it actually fell in for a birdie and the win.
Redemption for last years loss!
Quite a few drinks had to celebrate!
Here is the link for the local newspaper article written about it.