From Tony Durkin
WALKER LEADS: The very talented Scott Walker leads a hot A Grade field after two rounds of the Headland Men’s Championships, played in extremely wet and heavy conditions over the weekend. Scott (handicap one) signed for excellent rounds of 72 (Saturday) and 74 (Sunday) to lead by a single stroke from Jake Crowther (75,72-147), with Jamie Holbrook (76,72-152) five shots away in third. The trio of Baily Murchie, Ciaran Fenton and Dan Diachkoff (153) are a shot further back, with former champions Dave Rattray, Adam Rydwanski and Adam Richards trailing on 156. Scott was the epitome of consistency on Saturday with 16 pars on his card – the only blemish a bogey on the ninth, which followed his lone birdie on eight. His two-over par Sunday round was stained by a double bogey on the third hole, but he hit back with three birdies and is well positioned to win his first Headland Club Championship since taking the B Grade title when he was a teenager. Brendan Duncan (82,83-165) leads B Grade from Gavin Terry (166) and Joel Cooney and Bryan Haggarty (167), while schoolboy Josh Holbrook (85,87-172) has a four-stroke lead in C Grade, from Tom Burnett (176) and James Daniel (182).
LADIES CLOSE: Twenty-year-old Occupational Therapy student Dom Paice has exerted some pressure on 16-time Ladies Headland champion Josie Ryan with a first-round 85, one shot behind the veteran. Conditions for the ladies were tough on Saturday with Josie mixing 11 bogeys with seven pars and Dom’s lone double at the second being the difference at the end of the round. Christina Claxton is their closest challenger, on 88. Defending champion Gwen Nancarrow leads B Grade on 100, from Susie Fenton (103) and Naomi Doyle (104), while Maggie Fitzpatrick (113) heads the C Grade field from Kerrie Tibbits and Ellen Bloxsome, both on 114. The Ladies Championships continue on Thursday and Saturday of this week, and will be finalised on Thursday week (May 30).
HEADLAND VISION: Australia’s Eurovision Song Contest finalist at the weekend, Kate Miller-Heidke, has a strong connection with Headland Golf Club – her grandfather was once Club Captain. Eddie Heidke, a teacher at Nambour State High School whose students included former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and ex-Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan, was Club Captain at Headland in 1973, 74 and 76. He and his wife Gloria, who have both passed away, were club members for more than a decade. Kate’s dad Greg was a student at Buderim Mountain State School before the family moved from the Sunshine Coast.
HEADLAND’S MP: Headland member Terry Young is on the cusp of being one of the many newcomers to be elected to the Federal Parliament after Saturday’s amazing election result. Terry, who is part-owner of Drummond Golf at Maroochydore, was a rookie candidate for the LNP in the seat of Longman – covering Bribie Island and Caboolture areas – and is close to defeating sitting Labour MP Susan Lamb. The seat has not yet been called as an LNP victory, but on Monday – with 9000 votes and Terry leading by 5000 – he was confident of victory. Although the new MP will move from the Sunshine Coast to his electorate, Terry says he intends maintaining his Headland golf membership.
FATHER AND SON: After three years away from the game, 15-year-old Josh Holbrook has had his love of golf rejuvenated by watching Tiger Woods win the US Masters for a fifth time. And Josh, who recently won the Junior Monthly Medal for May, was the star turn when he and his dad Jamie won the rain-affected Fourball Best Ball Stableford on Wednesday. He scored 28 of their 45 points, carding three points on seven holes. In 2015, as a member of Headland Golf Club’s Junior Pennant team and playing off 14, he was named Sunshine Coast Golf Zone Junior Pennant player of the year. Wednesday’s afternoon competition was abandoned because of the continuous rain and resultant condition of the course. NB: Josh continued his outstanding form at the weekend in the Club Championships and takes a four-stroke lead into C Grade for the final two rounds to be played on Saturday and Sunday. But dad Jamie is not allowing him to grab all the limelight – he sits third in A Grade following four birdies in Sunday’s excellent par round.
COUNTRY WEEK: Headland ladies exacted some success during their visit to Queensland Women’s Country Week, held at Bargara and Bundaberg courses last week. Gay David and Mary Young were Division Two Foursomes winners with a score of 93, while Helen Fraser and Robyn Boreham were runners up in the nett event, scoring 76.5. And Helen Fraser capped off a great two-day event for the Headland visitors, winning the overall gross in Division Two with a score of 181.
HAPPY SUPER GOLF: Headland’s 64th birthday will be celebrated on Saturday, June 1, with the playing of another of the popular Super Golf events. The 10-hole event, to be contested over the original ‘cross-country’ course first used five years ago, will have three tee times – 7am, 10.30am and 2pm. It will be played as a four-person Ambrose, with mixed and overflow teams, and is sponsored by Sean Hanna of Image Business Furniture. Entries will open on Saturday (May 25) via the members portal, will all tee time bookings open at the new time of 6.30pm. The fee will be $15.
JOKER JACKPOT: Following the big win by Brent Dalby three weeks ago, Friday night’s Joker Jackpot draw is back in full swing with $1300 up for grabs this week. Added to the incentive of winning the cash jackpot – or $100 if the drawn member does not pick the Joker – is a Happy Hour stretch from 5pm to 7pm, with all tap beers, selected wines and basic spirits available for $5. A chipping competition kicks off at 5.30pm, with the popular raffle sales starting at 6pm and the excellent Vista@Headland restaurant opening for A La Carte dining, also from 6pm.
LADIES PENNANT: Headland’s Division Two Ladies Pennant team has been beaten in a play-off for first place in the south zone of the North Coast Pennant competition after finishing equal top with Caboolture. Earlier on Monday the ladies had decimated Caboolture 4-1 at Pelican Waters, which meant the lowest makers from each team were drawn to play-off for the title. Unfortunately for Marg Smith, in her excellent first season playing Pennant golf, she was beaten on the first play-off hole when her putt lipped out. Earlier Marg had squared her match, as had Gwen Nancarrow, while Jenni Pirini (6&4), Susie Fenton (6&5) and Pik Chong (3&2) scored brilliant wins. Division Three squared their final match of the season, 2½-2½, with Bribie Island at Beerwah, to finish their Pennant season in sixth place. Winners were Joy Bullock (8&6) and Kerrie Tibbits (5&3), while Leanne Ptak squared her match and Jane Boaler (7&5) and Di Stark ((5&4) were beaten. On Sunday Headland’s Weekend Ladies Pennant team survived a mixture of pouring rain, sunshine and a muddy course for a squared result against hosts Maroochy River. Captain Kirsten Kaergaard set the pace with an easy 5&3 win, followed by Josie Ryan with a comfortable 4&3 victory and Monica Anthony with a halved result. Wil Sprake lost 4&3 and, in a nail-biting finish, Kristen Griffiths was beaten one down for the 2½-2½ squared result. Sitting mid table, Headland faces leaders Perigean next weekend.
WEEKLY WINNERS:
Tuesday, Single Stableford – competition abandoned because of wet weather and course condition.
Wednesday, Men, Fourball Best Ball Stableford (123 players) – Josh and Jamie Holbrook (45 points), Brian Kesby and Tristan Scott (42), Aaron Duff and Adriaan Moorcroft (42). NB: Play abandoned for the afternoon field because of temporary water on the course.
Thursday, Ladies, Single Par (20 players) – Kate Wilkie (-2), Jenny Ingham (-3), Ellen Bloxsome (-4). Men, Single Stableford (51 players) – Mark Dolan (39 points), Brendan Southey (36), Ray Morrison (36).
Saturday, Club Championships, Ladies (49 players), round 1 – A Grade, gross, Josie Ryan (84), Dom Paice (85), Christina Claxton (88); nett, Christina Claxton (76), Wil Sprake (78), Dom Paice (78); B Grade, gross, Gwen Nancarrow (100), Susie Fenton (103), Naomi Doyle (104); nett, Christine Parkinson (76), Mouna Humzy (78), Gwen Nancarrow (79); C Grade, gross, Maggie Fitzpatrick (113), Kerrie Tibbits (114), Ellen Bloxsome (114); nett, Ellen Bloxsome (75), Kay Campbell (80), Kerrie Tibbits (82). Men (158 players), round 1 – A Grade, gross, Scott Walker (72), Dan Diachkoff (75), Jake Crowther (75); nett, Barry Newton (70), Dan Diachkoff (71), Scott Walker (71); B Grade, gross, Bryan Haggarty (81), Brendan Duncan (82), Michael Hinds (82); nett, Brett Stephenson (69), Morgan Winston (69), Matt Macaulay (71); C Grade, gross, Josh Holbrook (85), James Daniel (85), Chris McArdle (89); nett, James Daniel (65), Josh Holbrook (67), Alexander Dwyer (70).
Sunday, Club Championships, Men (156 players), round 2 – A Grade, gross, Jamie Holbrook (72), Jake Crowther (72), Scott Walker (74); nett, Jamie Holbrook (68), Darren Walters (69), Daniel Hurst (69); B Grade, gross, Brendan Duncan (83), Joel Cooney (83), Steven Bell (83); nett, Grant Martyn (71), Steven Bell (72), Col Pledge (72); C Grade, gross, Josh Holbrook (87), Tom Burnett (87), Reily Moffat (87); nett, Tom Burnett (69), Reily Moffat (69), Greg Wareham (69).
