From Tony Durkin
RECORD WIN: Scott Draper has become the first golfer to win the Men’s Sunshine Coast Amateur Open Championship for the third time in its 66-year history. But not only has the former World top 50 tennis pro claimed the Headland-hosted event for the third time, he has now won the prestigious title over three successive years. And the 51-year-old, whose AGU handicap is plus five, iced the majestic treble with his lowest 36-hole Headland score – eight-under 136, with twin 18 holes on Easter Saturday and Sunday of four-under 68. “It is a real honour to hold that three-win record,” he said, after playing what he described as possibly his ‘best golf ever’ on the front nine in windy conditions on Sunday, birdying five holes (2,3,4,7 and 8) for a scintillating 31. “My golf of late has been as good as I have hit it for a long time, so I was pleased to bring that form up here. Apart from club champs and pennants, this is the only major golf event I play, and one I want to keep playing.” Scott rates Headland a difficult course, and knew he needed to be judicious with his shot selection. “I regard myself as an accurate iron player, and my only three bogeys over the weekend resulted from poor drives.” On Saturday Scott fired five birdies with just the one mishap – a bogey at the par-five second hole. And on Sunday he was ripping the course apart at six-under after 14 holes, until disaster struck with consecutive bogeys at the tough 15th and 16th holes. But he finished with two pars to win the Championship by four shots from Caboolture’s Dane McArdle. Best of the Headland members was Adam Rydwanski, who finished 12 strokes behind the winner, while Shane Muller was a shot further back. For the past 27 years, the Championship has been sponsored by club member, Justin Walsh of Walsh Consulting Engineers.
MENDED MULLER: Three weeks ago, Shane Muller claimed he was embarrassed when he saw the number five on his card, as his handicap. It was his highest handicap since his PGA Traineeship 26 years earlier, and he took advantage of his recent ‘blow out’ to win a mid-week Headland event. And while he claimed he was hitting the ball well, he said he was not scoring. That dilemma changed big time over the Easter weekend, with Pro Shop Manager Shane the ‘most rewarded’ of the Headland members in the 2026 Men’s Sunshine Coast Amateur Open Championship. He finished 12th in the 36-hole event, and won the overall Division One nett (143). As well, he won the Division One nett on Sunday (72) and was runner-up in the Division One nett on Saturday (71). Also well performed was Ash Reck, who won the overall Division Two gross (158), as well as the gross on Sunday (78), while Lindsay Blair won the Division Two nett (141).
BOWLED OVER: Keen to test herself at her new sport of bowls, Annabel Harris grabbed an early-morning tee time at Headland on Wednesday so she could be at Buderim Bowls Club in time for the afternoon Scroungers competition. “I was relaxed, possibly thinking more about bowls than golf,” deduced Annabel after learning she had become one of the very few women to win a Wednesday Medley Single Stableford competition. Her 40 points won B Grade by two points, while another woman, Karra Hoger, won C Grade with the same score. But while Annabel was delighted with her victory, there were misgivings. “I played off 16 which is my highest handicap since joining Headland eight years ago. And I wiped the ninth, after foolishly hitting the wrong ball,” she confessed. Her winning card – which rewarded her with $125 – did, however, reveal two four-point birdies, and seven pars. “It wasn’t brilliant, but I played better than I have been recently,” she quipped. Scott Ingham won A Grade, with 39 points and Meegan Walker, as only the third woman in the field of 213 – along with Annabel and Karra – finished third in C Grade, with 39 points. NOTE: Annabel made the quarter finals of her bowls competition.
THANKS, HARRY: Mal McDougall said a tip from his 15-year-old grandson may have been the catalyst to a swing which gave him his first Headland win in ‘quite a long while’. “Harry was visiting from Brisbane recently, and was showing me some tips from his coach,” revealed retired teacher Mal. “One was his takeaway, and it looked convincing, so I thought I would work on that aspect of my game.” And, as the proverb explains, ‘the proof of the pudding is in the eating’. Mal said he simply played steady golf, scored 40 points, won Tuesday’s Single Stableford for Men and had $90 added to his House Account. “Starting with a birdie on the tenth, where I have two shots from my 21 handicap, gave me five points and a great foundation,” he surmised. Mal and his wife Jo, who scored 35 points in the corresponding Women’s competition, joined Headland in 2019 after moving north and both continue to enjoy the excellent condition of the course, and the friendliness of members. Sharon Thomas won the Women’s event with 37 points, beating Trish Murphy and Leeanne Ptak on a countback.
MISSING CHIPS: During her 27 years as a member, Helen Fraser has never lost her competitive edge. “Sure, I still like to win,” she quipped on Thursday after securing her second Monthly Medal for the year. But despite her back-to-back C Grade Championships in 2021 and 2022, as well as 11 Monthly Medals, right at the top of her winning list is the post-round serve of hot Headland chips. “And they taste so much better when someone else buys them,” admitted Helen, who said she was somewhat disappointed when Thursday’s group elected to buy a Lotto ticket, rather than the chips, which are a staple side bet on Saturdays. Helen’s winning of the B Grade Medal, when she finished par, bogey, par to beat Jill Nixey and Robyn Muir on a countback with 71 nett, followed victory with 39 points the previous Saturday, and January’s Monthly Medal. But her round did not start well, with three three-putts on the first nine, despite the greens being ‘in magnificent condition’. “I managed to hold it together on the way home,” she said. Narelle Hollowood (73) continued her rapid rise in the game by winning the A Grade Medal, and missing the gross by just two shots, while Jan Langdon (73/104) snared the C Grade double, and Helen Siddins (35 points) won the accompanying Single Stableford.
BIRTHDAY BOY: Doug Morgan turned 79 on Easter Monday, and his gift to himself was $120, which he won in Thursday’s Single Stableford for Men. The long-retired Sales and Marketing Manager who had played ‘about 20 games in 20 years’ before joining Headland in 2019, scored 40 points to lead in Thursday’s field of 76. “Things worked out well, but there was some luck involved,” said Doug, who scored three four-point holes from his ‘drifting out’ handicap of 31. “It has been a pretty lean time of late, so nice to get a win.” Doug, whose last victory was three years ago, said he basically plays golf for the companionship and exercise, and revealed he used a cart for most of the 18 holes he played over past summer, but will return to walking the course now that the cooler weather has arrived. His win came despite some outstanding rounds via the Pro Shop – Head Pro Adam Norlander eagled the par-five 13th during his par round; Pro Shop Manager Shane Muller also parred the course; and former Club Champion and Pro Shop attendant, Ben Duncombe, playing off plus three, fired four birdies is his round of 69.
SIMPLY THE BEST: Not unexpectedly, visitors have shot the lowest round of the week at Headland, sharing in the STB award. Over the Easter weekend, Men’s Sunshine Coast Amateur Open Champion, Scott Draper, fired two rounds of 68, as did first-round co-leader Jake McMahon. And former Headland Junior Champion and current PGA Professional, Josh Holbrook also fired a round of 68, but his score was from the blue Tees, on Wednesday. Each week in 2026, HH will name our ‘Simply the Best’ golfer, an ‘award’ introduced specifically to recognise the club’s low-handicap members.
WEEKLY RESULTS:
Tuesday, Single Stableford, Women (50 players) – Division One, Sharon Thomas (37 points), Leeanne Ptak (37), Gwen Nancarrow (36); Division Two, Trish Murphy (37), Janette Ritchie (36), Karra Hoger (36).
Men (63 players) – Mal McDougall (40 points), Stephen Woolcott (39), Richard Dinkelman (37).
Wednesday, Medley Single Stableford – sponsor, Justin Scattini, Ord Minnett Wealth, Buderim – (213 players) – A Grade, Scott Ingham (39 points), Cameron McCulloch (38), Ian Farrington (37); B Grade, Annabel Harris (40), Joe Stotschek (38), Peter Leggo (37); C Grade, Karra Hoger (40), Andrew Fidler (40), Meegan Walker (39).
Thursday, Women, Monthly Medal – sponsor, Jodie McDonell, Century 21 on Duporth – (72 players) – A Grade, Narelle Hollowood (73 nett), Sharon Thomas (74), Kathy Atkins (76), gross – Lisa Ramen (87); B Grade, Helen Fraser (71), Jill Nixey (71), Robyn Muir (71), gross – Robyn Muir (91); C Grade, Jan Langdon (73), Trudi Russell (74), Ree Condon (76), gross – Jan Langdon (104).
Single Stableford (26 players) – Helen Siddins (35 points), Bron Davis (34), Ruth Broderick (33),
Men, Single Stableford (76 players) – Doug Morgan (40 points), Tony Larkin (38), Shane Muller (38).
Saturday, Men’s Sunshine Coast Amateur Open Championship – sponsor Justin Walsh, Walsh Consulting Engineers – round one (173 players) – Division One (handicap 4 or less) – gross, Jake McMahon (68), Scott Draper (68); nett, Michael Zeckomske (69), Shane Muller (71); Division Two (handicap 5-10), Lindsay Blair (75), Matt Green (77); Division Three (handicap 11 plus), gross, Matt Smart (85), Nigel Edwards (85); nett, David Murrihy (72), Graeme Brown (73).
Sunday, Men’s Sunshine Coast Amateur Open – sponsor Justin Walsh, Walsh Consulting Engineers – round two (163 players) – Division One, gross, Scott Draper (68), Mitchell Salmond (69); nett, Shane Muller (72), Grant Baker (72); Division Two, gross, Ash Reck (79), Brian Haggarty (80); nett, Daniel Harris (74), Declan Hudson (74); Division Three, gross, Kade Johnstone (86), Graeme Brown (86); nett, Hendrick Scheepers (69), Wayne Cassidy (71).
Overall, 36-hole Men’s Sunshine Coast Amateur Open Champion, Scott Draper (68, 68 – 136), runner-up, Dane McArdle (70, 70 – 140); nett, Shane Muller (143), Mitchell Salmond (145); Division Two, gross, Ash Reck (158), Sam Fichera (158); nett, Lindsay Blair (141), Matt Griffiths (146); Division Three, gross, Matt Smart (170), Graeme Brown (174); nett, Glenn Brooker (148), Doc Fleming (149); Junior Champion, Jarvis Miller (147), Jensen Williamson (148); Senior Champion, Graham Hourn (149), Darren MacLeod (159).
