From Tony Durkin
MATCH PLAY: Three of Headland’s A Grade Men’s Pennant team members will compete in the semi-finals of the Men’s A Grade Match Play Championships, to be contested on Saturday. And three Club Championship winners have won through to the A Grade Women’s semis. Current Club Champion Adam Rydwanski beat Michael Zeckomske (4&3) to progress to the semi-final where he will meet five-time Club Champion Adam Richards, who disposed of Justin Nicholson, also 4&3. And the third, teenager Ben Duncombe (1-up) beat another Pennant player, Sean McGill, in a tight battle, with Matt Price joining him in the semi-final following a walkover result from Dan Diachkoff. Women’s Club Champion Sharon Thomas continued her hot streak of 2023 with a big win over Helen Venter (6&4), and will play Sue Jones in the semi-final, who ousted Robyn Boreham (4&3), while Josie Ryan (3&2) beat Jenny Ingham to set up a semi-final battle with Fiona Munro, who was near faultless in eliminating Dora Habgood (9&8). Scores from Saturday’s B and C Grade quarter-final matches are below.
THREE TREAT: It wasn’t exactly how Druce Fielding wanted his card to look after a long winning drought, but his ‘mixed bag’ in Saturday’s Single Stableford has hopefully put him on a road to more success. The Bundaberg-born Civil Engineer, who played some golf in Rockhampton and Emerald en-route to the Sunshine Coast where he joined Headland a decade ago, scored 40 points to win A Grade, his first victory in at least 12 months. “I have recently gone through a few changes, such as changing my grip, not using the driving range as often and trying not to overthink the game,” revealed Druce, who had three birdies, three bogeys and three doubles on a card that also revealed nine pars. A once-a-week player, Druce started at Headland on a 22 handicap which is now down to 10.3, and has progressed through the grades having been runner-up in both the C Grade (2019) and B Grade (2021) Match Play Championships. And, as an Engineer, he is excited by the recent course reconstruction work, predicting Headland will be ‘the best course on the coast’ within 12 months. Stephen Woolcott (also 40 points) won B Grade, Brett Beaumont (39) C Grade and Kathy Atkins (33) won the Women’s event.
EAGLE HEARD: Ian Farrington, who warmed up for Saturday’s quarter finals of the Match Play Championships with his lowest-ever round on Wednesday, says he ‘heard’ his eagle at the par-four first before he saw it. “I was on the hill on the right about 165 metres out, and hit a two iron, the only club I can fade. I knew it was on line, but because the green was in shadow, could not see the pin. I then heard the clunk when the ball hit the pin, and dropped in,” said Ian, who teed off in the first group of the day. In an A Grade-winning round of four-over 73 for 42 Stableford points, the reigning B Grade runner-up also birdied hole 10A and added nine pars and seven bogeys to his impressive card. A three-decade Headland member, Ian collected $125 from sponsor Drew Grant of Safe T Electrical for his efforts. In an otherwise low-scoring day, David Richards (37) won B Grade, Phil Martin (36) saluted in C Grade and Dean Oster and Chris Risby (47 points) combined to win the associated Fourball.
BRAVE FIGHTBACK: Following more than nine months of drama – and no golf – after breaking her arm on the golf course, Trish Marsden has scored a rather spectacular victory in Thursday’s Single Stableford for Women. Once playing from a handicap of 25, Trish scored 40 points from her current 35 mark to win C Grade, with a five-point birdie at the par-three ninth (the eighth on the usual course), a four-point par at the par-three sixth (fifth) and seven three-point holes, but proved she was human with three wipes and two one-pointers also on her card. “After quite a few years of various disruptions, I was just very happy to play some good golf,” Trish declared. “Today I did not look at my score during the round, which I usually do. And I think that helped.” After being struck on the arm – protecting herself when she heard the ‘fore’ call’ – on January 4 last year, Trish had a pin and eight screws inserted in her broken arm. She has been back playing for just three months, and on Thursday declared ‘many things came together’. Sue Jones (39 points) won A Grade and Rhonda Parry (36) won B grade. And George Stoufis scored a bonanza, winning $120 for his meagre 36 points, the best score in the Men’s event.
SNACKY WIN: Biscuit maker Scott Bromfield made golf seem easy on Sunday when his one-over par 70 won him the Medley Single Stroke event. Recently crowned Headland’s Men’s Senior Champion for the first time following consistent Championship rounds of 78,73,78,76, Scott – playing from a four handicap – penned two birdies, 13 pars and three bogeys on his card for nett 66, and a win by two shots from regular sponsor, Dave Mansley of Mooneys Insurance Brokers. Meanwhile Headland’s Golf Operations Manager, Ian Hepburn, shot his best round since returning to the club several months ago, to finish fourth in the event. Playing alongside three women – his wife Nicole, sponsor Jodie McDonell of Century 21 on Duporth and his former boss, Mt Coolum GM Sharon Purnell – Ian scored 86 for a nett 70.
BACK-TO-BACK: Headland Masters Pennant team member player Terry Grogan has gone back-to-back as winner of the club’s annual Living Choice Classic (Sunday, Monday and Tuesday), likening day two of the Eclectic event to matchplay. “Having won the previous year, I just knew I had to concentrate on the holes I had fared poorly the previous day,” revealed the former teacher, who won the Men’s event with 46 Stableford points. Having scored a decent 38 points on day one, Terry added a 5/3 to the par-five seventh on day two after a double bogey the previous day, but again missed out at the par-four 16th, which the 12-marker wiped on day one and doubled for a lone point on day two. However, with an ‘ordinary’ tally of just 33 on Tuesday and a meagre 14 on the second nine, he was still able to win the Eclectic by a point, collecting $300 for the second successive year. The event was well supported by visitors, who dominated the Women’s events (see results below). Margaret Bayliss from Cronulla won the Women’s Eclectic with an outstanding score of 52 points, but locals Steve Rose (44 points), Biff Barford (45) and Roly Hoy (44) won the Division One, Two and Three in the Men’s Eclectic.
NATE DEPARTS: Nate Smyth, a popular and always friendly face in Headland’s Pro Shop since 2016, has quit the casual role to focus on his career as a Client Services Officer with EKO Financial, a financial planning company operated by former Headland Director of Golf, James Kidd. Nate, who is an ex-Headland Junior Pennant team captain, is also aiming to further his education and add a Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning to his Bachelor of Business degree, majoring in Economics and Finance, which he secured from USC in June. “I have enjoyed immensely every moment working in the Pro Shop,” he said. “We have had an excellent team which created an excellent atmosphere under our exceptional leader, Adam Norlander. I am forever grateful for the opportunity provided, and to the members for humouring me for so long. It has truly been a pleasure.” And while he will be no longer seen in the Pro Shop, Nate – who reduced his handicap from 14 to four during the past seven years – intends playing more golf. “I will do my best not to be a stranger,” he quipped.
WEEKLY RESULTS:
Monday, Vets Living Choice Classic – sponsors, Living Choice and Perry & Oster – Single Stableford, Women (71 players) – Division One, Lesley Hart (35 points), Gwen Nancarrow (34); Division Two, Ginny Hewlett (33), Wendy Burnie (33); Division Three, Margot Easton (40), Denise Lawson (35).
Men (69 players) – Division One, Garry Rossow (37), Bruce Reid (34); Division Two, Barry Mapes (36), Terry Dutson (33); Division Three, Stuart Dykstra (36), Malcolm Woods (35).
Tuesday, Vets Living Choice Classic – sponsors, Living Choice and Perry & Oster – Single Stableford, Women (69 players) – Division One, Robyn Muir (41 points), Monica Knowles (33); Division Two, Julie Lewis (36), Linda Hunter (36); Division Three, Chrissie Eggins (39), Mary Gibberd (35).
Men (68 players) – Division One, Peter O’Brien (38), Peter Francis (37); Division Two, Steve Eggins (37), David Parker (35); Division Three, Edward Allen (33), John Burnie (33).
Vets Living Choice Classic, Two-Day Eclectic – sponsors, Living Choice and Perry & Oster – Women, overall winner, Margaret Bayliss (52 points); Division One, Pauline Lancaster (45), Kathy Atkins (45), Marg Smith (42); Division Two, Noela Evans (47), Valerie O’Brien (43), Jane Boaler (43); Division Three, Pamela Rossow (47), Trish O’Connor (46), Penelope Hepher (46).
Men, Overall winner, Terry Grogan (46 points); Division One, Steve Rose (44), Col Pledge (42), Jock McLaughlin (41); Division Two, Biff Barford (45), Alan Stratford (43), John Christmas (43); Division Three, Roly Hoy (44), Bob Hunter (43), Steve Nash (43).
Wednesday, Medley Single Stablefords – sponsor, Drew Grant, Safe T Electrical – (217 players) – A Grade, Ian Farrington (42 points), Tony Pattinson (40), Col Thomas (36); B Grade, David Richards (37), Ian Harris (37), Nelson Valderrama (36); C Grade, Phil Martin (36), Dave Walker (38), Dean Oster (37). Medley Fourball Best Ball Stableford, Dean Oster and Chris Risby (47 points).
Thursday, Single Stableford, Women (109 players) – A Grade, Sue Jones (39 points), Marg Smith (37), Robyn Muir (36); B Grade, Rhonda Parry (36), Roz Brandt (36), Deborah Thomas (35); C Grade, Trish Marsden (40), Dianne Schultz (38), Christine Hall (37).
Men (88 players) – George Stoufis (36), Josh Poole (36), Andrew McDougall (35).
Saturday, Single Stableford, Women (15 players) – Kathy Atkins (33 points), Sandee Brimblecombe (32), Colleen Berger (31).
Men (197 players) – A Grade, Druce Fielding (40), Andrew Webb (40), Chid Goundrey (39); B Grade, Stephen Woolcott (40), Josh Poole (38), Peter McNeven (38); C Grade, Brett Beaumont (39), Skip Antony 937), Greg Smith (37).
2023 Club Match Play Championship, quarter finals, Women – A Grade, Sharon Thomas beat Helen Venter (6&4), Sue Jones beat Robyn Boreham (4&3), Josie Ryan beat Jenny Ingham (3&2 ), Fiona Munro beat Dora Habgood (9&8); B Grade, Gwen Nancarrow beat Anita Boyle (walkover), Liz Dunford beat Gail Young (3&2), Monica Antony beat Kerry Longworth (2-up), Cathy Roberts beat Jan Langdon (7&6); C Grade, Sue Haddenham beat Joy Logan (2&1), Sue Keays beat Marie Flegler (walkover), Brendan Smith-Gittings (bye), Ree Condon (bye).
Men – A Grade, Adam Rydwanski beat Michael Zeckomske (4&3), Adam Richards beat Justin Nicholson ( 4&3), Ben Duncombe beat Sean McGill (1-up ), Matt Prince beat Dan Diachkoff (walkover); B Grade, Denis Mikolic beat Ian Farrington ( 1-up), Michael Thomas beat Terry Ward (8&7), Braden Anderson beat Denis Orr (2&1), Lachie Keenan beat Tom Burnett (walkover); C Grade, Ross Itzstein beat Michael Gregora (walkover), Michael Rutledge beat Mick Prince (1-up), Bruce Heseltine V Roger Van Ginkel (4&2), Zac Boland beat Paul Anderson (walkover).
Juniors, Eight-hole Parent-Child Stroke – Max Tinnock and Heath Reed (28), Benjamin and Stephen Cox (29), Max and Leon Faulkner (32), Oliver and Nick Brown (33), Dominic and Amber Manning (33).
Sunday, Medley Single Stroke (56 players) – Scott Bromfield (66 nett), Dave Mansley (68), Jay Gourlay (70).
