From Tony Durkin 

MAROOCHY CHAMP: Five-time Headland Champion Adam Richards has won the 2024 Maroochy River Open. Adam shot three-under 69 on Sunday to win by two shots, beating a star-studded field which included reigning Maroochy Champion and 2023 Sunshine Coast Open Amateur Champion, Jarryd Whittal, another Maroochy ‘gun’ in Tyson Holmes, Pacific Golf Club Champion Mitchell Salmond and Beerwah Champion, Sean Daines. And the difficulty of the course – from the Championship tees – was exemplified by the fact Adam played from a handicap of two, when his GA mark is scratch. His winning card revealed five birdies and two bogeys and not only did he win the Championship, but also snared the overall nett (67) on a countback from fellow Headland member, Rob Van Delft. Two other Headland members, Shane Muller (76) and Sean McGill (77) finished in the top 10 of the Championship gross, while Rob Van Delft shared the B Grade gross honours. Just on 190 teed up in the prestigious 18-hole event. 

IRISH GOLD: “It was perfect weather for ducks and Irishmen,” quipped Jonny Clarke after he braved the elements to win Wednesday’s Medley Single Stroke, and capture the Mid-Week Gold Medal for 2024.  With just on 30mm of rain falling on the course from early morning, only 18 golfers teed off in the event, which Jonny said he was always intended playing, regardless of the weather conditions. “If we didn’t play in these conditions back home, we would never play,” said the Northern Ireland native, who has been in Australia, on the Sunshine Coast, for just five years. As one of eight Mid-Week Medal winners during the year who qualified for the Gold Medal round to tee it up on Wednesday, Jonny was well in control when just five over from his 18 handicap after playing the back nine first. But then he hit trouble, with a double bogey at the first and a quadruple nine at the par-five second. “I hit two good shots at the second, then found a bunker,” he revealed. “I initially thought ‘well, that’s it’, but was proud of the way I got myself back on track.” Jonny, who won his C Grade Medal back in August brandishing his new LAB putter, came home with four pars and three bogeys, to finish with 86, for 68 nett. Apart from his disastrous nine, Jonny fared well in the tough conditions, winning by three shots, and finishing with nine pars and six bogeys on his card.

BEV CASHES IN: It may not have been in the same category as Rory McIlroy’s win in Dubai earlier in the week, but Bev Barnes was stunned by her winning bonus in Thursday’s Single Stableford for Women. McIlroy collected $5 million for his season-ending DP World Tour Championship and his sixth Race to Dubai title, but Bev was well satisfied with her collect of $90. “I think that is as much as I have ever won at golf,” she said after her 37 points was good enough to collect top prize, courtesy of sponsors and fellow members, Kathy Petrie, Kym Mason, Lesley Johnston and Laura Mason- Baierl. “It is my first win since a Monthly Medal earlier in the year, and despite a wipe at the tenth hole, I played pretty well.” Bev, who penned two four-pointers and four three-pointers, said the course was in much better condition than she had imagined following the recent rain. “We started our round with carts on paths, but by the sixth were told we could take them on the course,” she said. While ‘not really thinking about my score’, Bev was more focused on winning the square with partner Jill Nixey, and was concentrating on sinking vital putts coming home. “I suppose you could say we were putting for dough,” she quipped.

‘NUT’ WINS: When asked if he is a golfing ‘nut’, Adrian Goyne confessed ‘you could call me that, I suppose’. A Headland member for 18 months after not having played golf for more than a decade, the FIFO miner won Thursday’s Single Stableford for Men with an impressive 41 points. The highlight of his first win was a birdie at the par-four 11th, which garnered him four points on his way to scoring 22 points on the back nine. On his regular one week off in three from his job in the Pilbara in WA, Adrian says he plays ‘as much as my wife allows me’, which can be as many as five times. “I played golf on Phillip Island as a young bloke, but was keen to get back into it when we moved here recently,” he said. “I have had lessons from Adam (Head Pro Adam Norlander) but I think I need some more,” he said. “I am improving, but there are parts of my game that certainly need help.”  

THANKS MACCA: The first call Lindsay Blair made after winning A Grade in Saturday’s Single Stableford was to former Headland Trainee Pro, McKenzie Wright, who is currently holidaying in New Zealand. “We met a few years ago while surfing, and it was Macca who talked me in to taking my golf seriously,” revealed Lindsay, who was one of the three grade winners to score 41 points. “While he was pleased for me, he was not impressed when I told him I bogeyed the first, with a three-putt.” Having only played golf casually before moving to the Sunshine Coast from Victoria and joining Headland in January last year, the Nambour TAFE teacher has shaved an amazing 27 strokes from his handicap in that time. “Macca has been a great coach, and friend,” he said after firing his best-ever round – 76 – with a birdie, 12 pars and five bogeys on his card. Lindsay has become somewhat besotted with golf, plays as often as three times a week and loves the renovated course. “This is just my second win. My first was in C Grade last September when I was playing off 20, and that day I broke my PB by six shots,” he said. With his GA now 8.8 after Saturday’s win, Lindsay’s new goal is to be down to ‘four or five’ by the end of next year. Wayne Cassidy (B Grade) and Wayne Lawson (C Grade) were the other winners, while Rob Van Delft eagled the 17th and Aaron Shaw and Mark Gersbach both collected a whopping $104.50 for their Pro Pin shots at holes six and 12, respectively. And Anne Callanan (37 points) won the Women’s event.

NOT HIS BEST: Although 75-year-old Nev Kenzler shot 78 on Tuesday, it was not the lowest round for the seven-year Headland member. “I shot less than my age twice last year,” Nev responded when HH asked if six-over was his best result. “And I did it in successive rounds – on my 74th birthday last October, and again the next day.” But playing from a handicap of nine on Tuesday, the ex-banker was particularly pleased with his round of 12 pars and six bogeys for 39 points, and victory. It was his best round since knee replacement surgery in April, and has given him much-needed confidence in the ‘new’ joint. “Even though it is sometimes sore after a round, the knee is good, and the golf is improving,” he said. A former member of both Ashgrove and Pacific in Brisbane, Nev is impressed with the remodelled Headland course, despite the fact it is ‘definitely tougher’. “But the bunkers can sometimes be a nightmare, and thankfully I only found one on Tuesday,” he reported. Diane Kean, with a birdie at the par-three 14th hole, won the Women’s Single Stableford with 37 points.

‘NICE’ GOLF: A man of few words, Gavin Tuck described his win in Sunday’s Medley Single Stableford simply as ‘nice’. “It is the best I have played for a couple of years, and it was nice out there today,” he said, revealing his victory was his first in ‘probably five years’. “I have been playing really badly, and getting in the zone has been difficult for me.” But he certainly found the zone on Sunday, particularly on the back nine when he came home one-over par for the final six holes, with five pars and a bogey. His 40 points gave him a three-way countback win, but his gross score of 86 from his 18 handicap was not something of which Gavin was particularly proud. “In the past I have played off 8.5, and won the A Grade Medal of Medals in 2015 in a round that included five birdies,” said the avid Geelong Cats AFL supporter. “But I suppose I have to come to terms with the fact I am getting old, in both mind and body.” 

WEEKLY RESULTS:

Monday, Vets, Mixed American Foursomes (90 players) – Linda Cannon and Brett Beaumont (81 nett), David W Smith and Marg Smith (83), Carol Sinclair and Nick Cox (88). 

Tuesday, Single Stableford, Women (42 players) – Diane Kean (37 points), Joy Bullock (37), Ree Condon (37).

Men (70 players) – Nev Kenzler (39), Martin Luck (39), Tim Nunan (37). 

Wednesday, Medley Single Stroke, Men’s Mid-Week Medal and 2024 Mid-Week Gold Medal – sponsor, Ryan Tomlinson, Century 21 on Duporth – (18 players) – Jonny Clarke (68 nett), Ian Farrington (71), Gary Marr (72).

2024 Gold Medal – Jonny Clarke 

Thursday, Single Stableford, Women – sponsors, Kathy Petrie, Kym Mason, Lesley Johnston and Laura Mason- Baierl – (45 players) – Bev Barnes (37 points), Wendy Derrick (37), Nicola Whitmore (36).

Men (64 players) – Adrian Goyne (41), Todd Petrie (39), Jonny Clarke (38).

Saturday, Single Stableford, Women – sponsors, Leeanne Ptak, Cathy Roberts, Vicky Sheridan and Gwen Nancarrow – (23 players) – Anne Callanan (37 points), Kate Wilkie (34), Di Stark (34).

Men (195 players) – A Grade, Lindsay Blair (41 points), Dan Diachkoff (39), Justin Nicholson (38); B Grade, Wayne Cassidy (41), Clint Adams (37), Peter O’Brien (37); C Grade, Wayne Lawson (41), Ross Wedmaier (38), Kevin George (38).

Juniors – Nine-hole Stroke, Finn Darlison (37), Dominic Manning (42), Keaton Fox (46), Noah Sergeant (51), Emme Coburn (80).

Sunday, Medley Single Stableford (56 players) – Gavin Tuck (40 points), Graham Cartledge (40), Sam Fichera (40).