From Tony Durkin
VEGAS CHAMPION: Fresh from a golfing victory in Las Vegas, Sharon Purnell has returned home to win her first Headland Honour Board event. The 30-plus year member teamed with five-time Men’s Champion Adam Richards to win Saturday’s Mixed Foursomes Championship, in what finished as a cliffhanger. Equal on 164 after 36 holes, Sharon and Adam (84,80) and Robyn Muir and Shane Muller (81,83) returned to the par-three 18th for a play-off to decide the 2024 Champions. Both men hit the tee shots, Shane missing the green to the right and Adam putting Sharon 3.5 metres from the pin. “I think I can get the birdie,” Sharon suggested to Adam, who concurred, but advised her to lag the putt to secure a par, which the pair did to take the Championship. While it was Sharon’s first major success, Adam has previously won the Mixed Championship twice, ironically both times with Robyn as his partner. And it takes his overall Championship titles at Headland to a phenomenal 21. “We teamed well, and I’m pleased to say I contributed to our score quite a few times,” said a chuffed Sharon, who two weeks earlier had contested a three-day Go Golfing event in Las Vegas which, not coincidentally, was the same week as her beloved NRL Broncos also played in Sin City. “We played TPC Las Vegas, Rio Secco and Cascata, and I won the Women’s overall event.” This was the fourth time Sharon and Adam have partnered in the Mixed Foursomes, for two prior runner-up results. The 36-hole nett was won by Kirsten Kaergaard and Neven Daniel (141), with Laura Mason-Baierl and Brendan Duncan (142) runners-up. Members Erik and Tove Larsen, of Girlock, again sponsored the Mixed Championship. NOTE: Sharon started her golf administrative career at Headland three decades ago and is currently GM of Mt Coolum Golf Club.
SWING CHANGE: A former South Australia state baseball rep, Dean Oster adopted a similar swing plane when he started golf as an adult. “It worked okay for a while, but recently my results have been rubbish,” said Dean, after winning Wednesday’s Medley Single Stableford with 43 points. And he reasoned the great score – eight three-pointers and two four-point holes on his card – was the result of a new swing, recommended to him by good mate and five marker, Chris Risby. “Recently I played a punched draw out of the trees while playing with Chris, and it worked a treat. He then suggested I adopt that kind of swing, which I have done. And I’m hitting it much better now, so it obviously works.” Apart from the thrill of winning – ‘about an annual occurrence’ Dean reckons – his other enjoyment came from playing with his dad Bill, whose last competition round was back in October. Dean’s score won C Grade – and $125 – while Bevan Horsnell (A Grade) and Justin Walsh (B Grade) continued their recent good form to score 39 points, and win their respective grades.
SIGNIFICANT WIN: Celebrating a ‘significant birthday’, Deborah Thomas turned last week in to a momentous occasion – on and off the golf course. “My birthday was on Tuesday, but some ‘golfing girls’ and I had planned dinner on Thursday night to celebrate. Some had not played that day, but when they turned up at The Boatshed for dinner and discovered I had won B Grade, it was definitely party time,” beamed Deborah, who graduated from SWING in 2017. The 2019 Headland C Grade Champion returned the best score in the field of 100 who contested the Women’s Single Stableford, on a difficult day in tough conditions. Her 35 points came from her best round of the year, her first win since October, and was totally ‘out of the blue’. “What pleased me most was my consistency. I had just the one wipe, and that was the result of a lost ball on seven, which strayed just a little from the fairway and none of us could find it,” she revealed. On a low-scoring day, Kate Wilkie (34 points) won A Grade and Suzanne Pledge (32) won C Grade.
BIRDIE BONUS: Standing on the 18th tee on Thursday, one of the playing partners of Kevin George jested that if he aced the hole, he would win the Single Stableford event for Men. Because Kevin had an impressive card going, he and his group had been keeping tabs on the scores and were aware that he trailed clubhouse leader Tony Briffa by four points. Kevin stepped up, hit a seven iron to within 1.5 metres, and – despite distracting banter from the crowd on the verandah – drained the putt. His resultant four points won him the day on a countback, and the 1980s Sons and Daughters soapie actor collected $120 for his effort, and his first victory in ‘I can’t recall when’. Kevin’s decisive birdie at the 18th was his third for the round, a first for the Mooloolaba-based plumber. “I felt like Adam Scott winning the 2013 Masters when that putt on the 18th dropped,” he joked.
LOUD ACE: “I think everyone on the course must have heard me, I shrieked so loudly,” confessed 2013 SWING graduate Brenda Smith-Gittings as she described her reaction to her first hole-in-one, at the par-three fifth on Thursday. “I went bananas. It was so exciting.” With the course giving little run, Brenda hit her driver from the tee, saw the ball land short of the green and roll on, but did not see it drop in the hole. “My playing partner, Leslie Pinn, said she thought it might have rolled in, but neither of us was sure. And when we arrived at the green and could not see my ball, I just wished, and hoped,” she said. When Brenda retired, she was encouraged by her sons Shaun and David (both three markers at Maroochy River) to take up golf, so her first phone call following her ace was to them – even before she had reached the sixth tee. Shaun has had a hole-in-one, but not David, and although they were both very proud of their mum, Brenda suspects David may be a tad miffed that she has beaten him to the big achievement. Headland’s reigning C Grade Women’s Champion, Brenda thinks her ace may well supplant that 2023 victory as her greatest thrill in golf.
ORRSOME ACE: The reception to the second ace at the par-three fifth in the space of 48 hours was – by all accounts – a tad more subdued. “Although I hit my five iron gun-barrel straight, I actually thought it might have been too long. But one of my playing partners suggested if it did hit the flag, it might drop in,” quipped Denis Orr after also scoring his first hole-in-one on Saturday after three decades as a Headland member. The retired Maroochy High Business Manager said he initially looked over the back of the green, then found the ball in the hole. “I think it must have hit the by pin,” assumed Denis, who three years earlier aced the 17th at North Lakes while playing a social round.
ABOUT TIME: Queensland State Manager for a scaffold company, David Cekulis, was delighted yet also disappointed with his winning score in Saturday’s Single Stableford Overflow event. “It’s about time,” was his initial reaction when contacted by HH, revealing he has played sparse golf of late because the family recently bought a camper trailer which they utilise regularly on weekends. “But I was filthy with my bogey on 18. I needed a par there to shoot 80 for the first at Headland, but chunked my chip and took four.” David’s winning 41 points included two birdies, both reaping four points, and a disappointing lip out for another at the 16th. On Sunday, Stephen Woolcott had his second ‘collect’ for the week, winning the Medley Single Stableford with 39 points and pocketing $90.
HH BREAK: Apologies members, but Headland Headlines will not appear next week. The column will, however, be back on Monday, April 1. Apologies for any great golf achievements/scores/results that will not be published.
WEEKLY RESULTS:
Tuesday, Single Stableford, Women (25 players) – Kathy Petrie (35 points), Lynn Deacon (33), Leeanne Ptak (32).
Men (63 players) – Chris Risby (36), Stephen Woolcott (36), Peter Hutchinson (35).
Wednesday, Medley Single Stableford – sponsor Greg Edgar, Rapid Equipment Hire – (233 players) – A Grade, Bevan Horsnell (39 points), David Hannah (37), Paul Clarke (36); B Grade, Justin Walsh (39), Mick Rose (38), Graeme Warne 938); C Grade, Dean Oster (43), Chris Byrnes 940), Hans Raaschou (38).
Thursday, Single Stableford, Women – sponsors, Shirley Eggleton, Libby Hall, Helen Mulholland, Darleen Girlie (100 players) – A Grade, Kate Wilkie (34 points), Jan Langdon (34), Karry Longworth (34); B Grade, Deborah Thomas (35), Sue Keays (34), Chris Buganey (33); C Grade, Suzanne Pledge (32), Joy Logan (29), Dianne Schultz (28).
Men (89 players) – Kevin George (42 points), Tony Briffa (42), Warren Chapman (39).
Saturday, 2024 Mixed Foursomes Championship – sponsor, Erik and Tove Larsen, Cirlock (64 players) – Champions, Sharon Purnell and Adam Richards (84,80-164) on first play-off hole; runners-up, Robyn Muir and Shane Muller(81,83-164); Josie Ryan and Sean McGill (84,84-168); 36-hole nett, Kirsten Kaergaard and Neven Daniel (141); runners-up, Laura Mason-Baierl and Brendan Duncan (142); Chrissy and Steve Eggins (144); 18-hole morning gross, Vicky Sheridan and Adam Rydwanski (84); nett, Sandy Whittle and Simon Whittle(70.5); 18-hole afternoon gross, Robyn Boreham and Bill Oster (85); nett, Marg Smith and David Smith (70).
Overflow, Single Stableford (92 players) – David Cekulis (41 points), Justin Nicholson (29), Chris Goundrey (39).
Sunday, Medley Single Stableford (69 players) – Stephen Woolcott (39 points), Scott Simpson (39), Toby Halliday (38).
