From Tony Durkin
THOMAS TRIUMPH: Consistency was the major factor in mother-and-son combination Sharon and Blake Thomas (157) winning their second Headland Mixed Foursomes Championship in the past three years. They had just the lone double bogey in 36 holes of what is generally regarded as the most challenging golf competition, to win by three shots from the fast-finishing team of Dom Paice and Brian Kesby (160). Sharon and Blake were superbly out of the blocks in the morning round, returning a six-over 78 (39/39) to lead by four shots, then came home in 79 (39/40). Over the 36 holes they returned four birdies, 13 bogeys, one double bogey and 18 pars. And, as mums tend to do, Sharon deflected praise to her second-born son, a Gold Coast-based engineer who has played a mere five rounds of competition golf since the Mixed Foursomes event with his mum 12 months ago. Coralie Walsh went back-to-back in the nett event, teaming this year with Adam Richards to win on a countback from Helen Mulholland and David Munns. Tracey O’Connor and Steve Rose were adjudged the best-dressed couple.
ORR-SOME GOLF: So bad was the spur on his right foot that Denis Orr spent quite a few hours last week with it sitting in an ice bath, readying himself for what was to be a memorable onslaught on the Headland layout on Saturday. Playing in the Medley Single Stableford event – but from the championship tees set for the Mixed Foursomes Championship – 12-marker Denis had his best round in 26 years as a Headland member, with a five-over 77 and 43 stableford points winning him the event. But it could – and should – have been even better. He two-putted 15 greens, including the 12th from the 120cm distance that won him the Pro Pin shot. Once a seven-handicapper in Gladstone three decades ago, Denis said his dream tee-to-green round contained just two shots which he considered were poor. But his 77 is not the best-ever score for the Department of Education employee who is currently enjoying long-service leave. That highlight came at the former Long Pocket (now Indooroopilly) course in Brisbane in 1981, when he shot a three-under 69.
RED BECKONS: Despite beating Adam Scott twice in three years for the Junior Championship at Twin Waters when they were teenagers, Jamie Holbrook is still to post his first under par round or – as he calls it – his first ‘red’ round. But he came close again on Wednesday, posting his fourth par round of 72 in the past month. Jamie started on the 10th hole and mixed two birdies with five bogeys for a three-over 39, then blitzed the front nine in 33, with three birdies on an unblemished card. His previous par rounds in the past month have been at Headland, Twin Waters and Maroochy River and the proprietor of real estate business Property Today is confident the ‘red’ round is not far away. Playing off his lowest-ever handicap of six, Jamie’s nett 66 on Wednesday won him A Grade Mid-Week Medal and his 72 the best gross in his grade, while both scores were the lowest on the day in the big field of 193.
GALLANT JACK: Two Saturday nights ago, 13-year-old Jack Fisher received a phone call from Headland Junior Pennant manager, Nate Smyth, calling him into the team for their next-day clash with Noosa at Maroochy River following illness to team captain James Daniel. Not only had Jack never competed in Pennants previously, but he had played just the one round of competition golf since joining Headland in October. Up he stepped in the club’s time of need and despite being well beaten, Jack was roundly praised by Nate and his fellow team members for proudly wearing the striking red Pennant shirt of his club. But what occurred later that afternoon was what has stamped the Grade 8 Sienna College youngster as something special. Comprehending exactly what was needed to be a Pennant player, Jack was back on the Headland range, red shirt still on his back, practising and fine tuning his game for his next call up. Mentored by his schoolteacher dad Matt, who completed a golf traineeship back in 2000, Jack regularly attends the Headland junior clinics each Wednesday under the coaching of Assistant Pro, Matt Douglas.
A-GRADE WEEK: Recent golf convert Christina Claxton has just experienced a week in the sport she will remember for quite a while, culminating in winning her second A Grade Monthly Medal. The Research Scientist at the University of the Sunshine Coast and a former representative soccer and hockey player, Christina graduated from the SWING program at Headland in 2016 on a handicap of 24 and Thursday’s win was her second Monthly Medal within 12 months – and both in A Grade. In addition to that victory was her drawn match for the Weekend Pennant team the previous Sunday – her first game of Pennants – and a win in Tuesday’s Single Stableford with 42 points. Her identical rounds of 82 on Tuesday and Thursday are her best since she took up golf seriously just three years ago and she credits her better scores – and her handicap reduction to 12 – to continued putting practise.
BECK AGAIN: In August last year former six marker Andrew Beck had his best round of golf in almost six years when, armed with his new Mizuno driver, he scored 43 points to win a mid-week Stableford event. Seven months later – last Thursday – he was back near his best again and as a result had $100 deposited in his House Account after a particularly fruitful round. His eight-over par score garnered him 42 points, a two-point win and $80, while he also collected $20 for pin shots on the eighth and 14th holes. His consistent round of 80 – playing off 14 – included two birdies, seven pars, eight bogeys and just the one double.
PENNANTS: With Headland needing to gain just half a point from the final two matches, schoolboy Ben Duncombe holed a pressure putt on the 18th at Hervey Bay against Caloundra on Sunday to seal a win for the defending Sunshine Coast Golf Zone A Grade Pennant champions. In an extremely close encounter, four of the seven matches went down to the final hole with Headland finally clinching the result 4-3. The pressure putt on 18 by 15-year-old Ben squared his match, while captain Sean McGill miraculously fought back from a five-hole deficit to win one up. Newcomers Jamie Hill (5&3) and Jake Crowther (4&3) had superb wins, while Scott Walker, like young Ben, squared his match. Glenn Kelly and Brad Butler were both narrowly beaten, one down. The Masters finally scored a win, beating Nambour 5-2 at Twin Waters. Pennant debutant Neil Oxley won 2&1 while Neven Daniel (3&2) scored his first Pennant victory. Other winners were captain Warren Selvage (2&1), father-and-son Burgess (4&3) and Brett (4&2) Stephenson, while Ian Moore (4&2) and Peter Richardson (5&4) went under. B Grade Men also won, beating Cooroy at Gympie 4-3, with Matt Macaulay and Will Millroy both winning 4&2, and Michael Thomas 3&1. Matt Hetherington and Jay Gourlay squared their matches, with Matt Prince (2 down) and Dan Diachkoff (5&4) on the losing end of their respective matches.
LADIES PENNANTS: Headland’s Weekend Ladies Pennant team suffered a big loss at Noosa on Sunday, going down to the strong Caloundra team 4-1. Newcomer Kristen Griffiths was the lone victor, winning 3&2, while captain Kirsten Kaergaard and Wil Sprake both lost one down, after taking their matches to the 18th. Monica Antony lost 3&2 while Josie Ryan, in her heaviest-ever match play defeat, was beaten 6&5 by the big-hitting and talented Caloundra 20- year-old, Jessica Cook. In Weekday Division 3, Headland suffered a 4-1 loss to Maroochy River, at Maroochy River, on Monday. Captain Chris Parkinson continued her brilliant recent form with a 5&2 thrashing of her opponent, but there was no joy elsewhere. Di Stark (1 down), Joy Bullock (2 down), Kerrie Tibbets (5&3) and Leigh Derigo (4&2) were on the losing end of their matches.
WEEKLY WINNERS:
Tuesday, Single Stableford, Ladies (44 players) – Christina Claxton (42 points), Catherine Peterson (41), Helen Venter (38); Men (59 players) – Charlie Worthy (43), Tony Flint (42), Ted Banaszczyk (41).
Wednesday, Men, Mid-Week Medal (193 players) – A Grade, Jamie Holbrook (66 nett), Mark Selig (68), Chris Klazema (68), Gross – Jamie Holbrook (72); B Grade, Martin Dix (69), Andrew Tumai (70), Tony Durkin (71), Gross – Andrew Tumai (86); C Grade, Dennis Schloss (68), Shannon Walters (68), Toby Zaremba (68), Gross – Dennis Schloss (93).
Thursday, Ladies, Monthly Medal (102 players) – A Grade, Christina Claxton (68 nett), Sharon Thomas (70), Trish Howe (71), Gross – Sharon Thomas (80); B Grade, Kate Wilkie (71), Karen Cassels (71), Kathy Petrie (72), Gross – Kate Wilkie (91); C Grade, Lesley Wilson (66), Lesley Pinn (67), Jane Boaler (71), Gross – Lesley Pinn (97).
Men, Single Stableford (88 players) – Andrew Beck (42 points), Tim Rees (40), Kevin Howe (39).
Saturday, Mixed Foursomes (60 players) – champions, Sharon and Blake Thomas (157); runners-up, Dom Paice and Brian Kesby (160); nett, Coralie Walsh and Adam Richards (143), runners-up, Helen Mulholland and David Munns (143); morning gross, Sharon and Blake Thomas (78), runners-up, Trish Howe and James Kidd (87); morning nett, Robyn Boreham and Sean Hanna (70.5), runners-up, Helen Mulholland and David Munns (72); afternoon gross, Dom Paice and Brian Kesby (78), runners-up, Lisa Ramen and Bob Trevor (78); afternoon nett, Coralie Walsh and Adam Richards (70), runners-up, Katrina Watts and Ken Anderson (72.5). Medley Single Stableford (131 players) – Denis Orr (43 points), George Rodman (42), Warren Sorby (40), John Kamm (39), Les McClymont (39).
Sunday, Medley Single Par (46 players) – Richard Senior (plus 5), Lachlan Moffat (+4), Ciaran Fenton (+3).
