From Tony Durkin
JOSIE’S STRUGGLE: Perennial Headland Women’s Champion, Josie Ryan, has taken her recent health struggles on to the golf course, with her first round of the 2023 Club Championships on Saturday revealing a rare triple bogey. Josie – 12 over par on the reconfigured par 70 course – shares the first-round lead alongside Sharon Thomas and surprise-packet Robyn Boreham, with the second round to be played on Thursday. The leading trio all had mixed bags, with Josie’s card likened to the irregular doses of chemotherapy she has been receiving since December. “I found it a real struggle out there, and hit only five greens in regulation,” said the 19-time Champion who had two birdies, six pars, seven bogeys, two doubles and a triple at the new par-three 7B hole in her round of 82. Sharon (eight pars, eight bogeys and two doubles) was the most consistent of the leaders, while Robyn continued her recent run of good form with a birdie, nine pars, four bogeys and four doubles, and leads the A Grade nett. Gwen Nancarrow (89) tops the B Grade leaderboard, with Brenda Smith-Gittings (97) in front in C Grade.
DAD BEATEN: Rising talent Sam Fichera achieved two major golfing milestones on Saturday – he returned the best score in a Saturday field for the first time, and beat his dad off the stick for the second time. The 13-year-old, who gained his first handicap of 36 just on three years ago, scored 40 points in Saturday’s Medley Single Stableford to win B Grade and top the overall leaderboard on a countback. And that countback triumph was the result of his best-ever back nine – three-over 38 on the reconfigured layout. Starting on the back, the Sunshine Coast Grammar student turned with 22 points then stumbled when he doubled the par-four first hole. But he steadied, and finished with eight three-pointers on his card of 11-over 80. Conversely, dad Anthony struggled, having 82 from his handicap of six for a meagre 29 points. Chris Thomas, in his first round after recently partnering his mum Sharon to the 2023 Headland Mixed Championship title, won A Grade with 39 points, while John Burnie (40) beat Don Teague on a countback to win C Grade.
CAROL ROLLS: Recently returned from a three-month sojourn to the UK following her retirement from a 33-year banking career with ANZ, Carol Quin described her winning round at Headland on Thursday as ‘rolling along’. “Because I have not played for so long and my handicap is an embarrassing 22, I didn’t think about my score or where I had two shots. I just allowed the round to roll along,” she confessed. And that relaxed attitude reaped dividends, with Carol scoring 42 points on a card that revealed four four-point holes and three three-pointers, with a birdie at the 18th a pleasing way to finish her first competitive golf round of the year. Carol won A Grade with the same score which won Chrissy Eggins C Grade, while Tracey O’Connor (39) won B Grade.
HOORAY JAY: His one-over 73 on Wednesday may have been on a shortened course, but groundsman Jay Gourlay will happily accept the round as his PB. Jay, who has been a popular member of Headland’s ground staff for 5½ years, returned the best score in Wednesday’s Medley Single Stableford with 43 points, having four bogeys and three birdies on his card. While the 11-marker conceded ‘it was not a real course’ because of the bunker renovation program currently in place, he was still very content with his game. “Everything worked from hole one. My long game was the best it has been for a long while, and I putted well,” said Jay, whose best score on his home course has been 44 points, 2½ years ago. Jay won A Grade, newcomer Casey Kennedy (40 points) won B Grade and Neil Dougherty (40) saluted in C Grade.
CANNY SCOTS: Scotsmen Sandy Jamieson and Stewart Douglas stood by their country’s proud golfing heritage to win Tuesday’s Fourball Best Ball Stableford, but it was a victory that, originally, was never meant to be. Only after some cancellations from the timesheet did Stewart (handicap 16) join Sandy’s group, and the pair won with 46 points. Although they had never teamed in a fourball prior to Tuesday’s event during the two years that Stewart has been a member, there was an uncanny link. “My history teacher at Shawlands Academy (school) in Glasgow, is Sandy’s brother-in-law,” Stewart revealed. And while Sandy – who has been a Headland member for three decades – had a four-point birdie and seven three-pointers on the card – it was his par at the 18th of which he was most proud. “We were the last group, so I knew we needed three points on 18. And it was my par that got us over the line,” he said. Stewart also played his part, with a birdie at six his highlight.
NOT WEARY: Age, nor a revamped golf course, has seemingly not worried – or wearied – persistent age shooters Ken Anderson and Bob Trevor. Despite a triple-bogey seven on the first hole in Wednesday’s Single Stableford, Ken (age 82) once again shot less than his age in the round, with his 79 the 25th time he has either equalled or beaten his age at Headland. And Bob (78 years young) responded on Sunday, scoring 38 points from his handicap of six from his round of 73, taking his total in the ‘unofficial’ race to 24. In fact, Bob fired 75 on Tuesday, but his score could not be recognised because it came in a Fourball.
IONNA SHINES: After being overlooked for the opening and closing matches of the Australian Junior Interstate Teams Matches at Ulverstone Golf Club (Tasmania) last week, reigning Headland Women’s Champion Ionna Muir starred to help Queensland finish second in the event. The 15-year-old won her matches against Western Australia (5&4) and ACT (3&2), and halved against South Australia, after not being selected from the five-person team for the clashes against NSW and Victoria. Queensland was beaten by NSW for the title, missing by a mere half point. Ionna became the youngest Headland Women’s Champion when she won last year’s title by 32 strokes, but could not defend this year because of her inter-state commitments.
FIRST WIN: Having been ‘blooded’ in the sport by fellow golfing young guns Nick Reed and Will Millroy, rookie Lindsay Blair won his first event as a Headland member when he scored 39 points in Sunday’s Medley Single Stableford. A recent arrival on the Sunshine Coast from Brisbane, Blair met Nick and Will through mutual friends and they talked him into playing golf, and joining the club. And, after receiving his membership in mid-January, the Nambour TAFE teacher has progressed his game to the stage where he penned a four-point par and seven three-point holes on his card on Sunday, with wipes at holes 16 and 17 his only slip-up. “I noticed I was leading the comp, and became nervous,” he admitted, after finishing with a par at the 18th.
BURLEY SURGE: Having played scant competition golf for almost three years, Sports Physio Simon Burley has been on a roll since a recent change in his working arrangements. In the past five weeks the 13-year member has won three events, his latest coming on Thursday when he scored 42 points in the Men’s Single Stableford. He had earlier won a similar event in mid-March, also with 42 points, and was a member of a winning Irish Foursomes team a week later. His steady round on Thursday revealed a birdie at the fifth, five three-pointers and 11 two point-holes, with a lone one-pointer at the 17th. But Simon’s round was not the eye-catcher. That honour belonged to Blaike Perkins of Pelican Waters who, playing off a plus three handicap, shot eight birdies in his phenomenal round of 62, for 40 points.
WEEKLY RESULTS:
Tuesday, Medley Fourball Best Ball Stableford (114 players) – Sandy Jamieson and Stewart Douglas (46 points), Chrissy and Steve Eggins (45), Bec Francis and Althea McLean (45).
Wednesday, Medley Single Stableford (184 players) – A Grade, Jay Gourlay (43 points), Bevan Horsnell (41), Warren Chapman (39); B Grade, Casey Kennedy (40), Craig Driscoll (38), Jim Saunderson (38); C Grade, Neil Dougherty (40), Brian Hermeston (38), Ian Russell (37).
Thursday, Single Stableford, Women – sponsors, Rebecca Masters, Mouna Humzy, Diane Gilmour and Mary Gibberd– (113 players) – A Grade, Carol Quin (42), Narelle Hollowood (38 points), Josie Ryan (38); B Grade, Tracey O’Connor (38), Julie Lewis (38), Ree Condon (37); C Grade, Chrissy Eggins (42), Marion Dennis (41), Lee Haseltine (36). Men (92 players) – Simon Burley (42), Ken Pegg (41), Blaike Perkins (40).
Saturday, Women, Club Championships – sponsor, B by Halcyon – (55 players) – A Grade, gross, Josie Ryan (82), Sharon Thomas (82), Robyn Boreham (82); nett, Robyn Boreham (66), Helen Venter (68), Anne Callahan (69); B Grade, gross, Gwen Nancarrow (89), Liz Dunford (90), Monica Anthony (90); nett, Monica Antony (68), Wendy Mosley (69), Gwen Nancarrow (69); C Grade, gross, Brenda Smith-Gittings (97), Ree Condon (97), Doreen Davidson (98); nett, Brenda Smith-Gittings (67), Ree Condon (67), Doreen Davidson (68).
Men, Single Stableford (121) – A Grade, Chris Thomas (39 points), Brian Callaghan (38), McKenzie Wright (38); B Grade, Sam Fichera (40), Josh Poole (38), Paul Morton (38); C Grade, John Burnie (40), Don Teague (40), John Miller (39).
Juniors – Benjamin Cox (40 strokes), Blake Rydwanski (42), Rowan Scott (48), Kamran Barden (48).
Sunday, Medley Single Stableford (59 players) – Lindsay Blair (39 points), Bob Trevor (38), Derrick Bogaart (38).
