{"id":11648,"date":"2025-04-20T11:21:07","date_gmt":"2025-04-20T11:21:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/headland.miclub.com.au\/cms\/?p=11648"},"modified":"2025-04-20T11:21:07","modified_gmt":"2025-04-20T11:21:07","slug":"headland-headlines-20-4-25","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/headland.miclub.com.au\/cms\/2025\/04\/20\/headland-headlines-20-4-25\/","title":{"rendered":"HEADLAND HEADLINES 20-4-25"},"content":{"rendered":"

From Tony Durkin<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

BACK-TO-BACK: <\/strong>Former World No.42 tennis player, Scott Draper, has won back-to-back Men\u2019s Sunshine Coast Amateur Open Championships, prevailing once again at Headland over the Easter weekend. The lowest handicapped player in the field off plus four, Scott won by four shots, and was the only player under par in the extremely tough conditions. \u201cThe course was super tricky both days. There was no run, so it was playing longer than normal, and the greens were very slick,\u201d he said after his fifth attempt at winning the Championship. Scott, who played as a professional tennis player from 1993 to 2005 before a back injury ended his career, was two under 142 for his 36 holes, four shots worse than his winning score last year. \u201cIt was not my best ball striking over the weekend, but I grinded it out both days. No-one was under par on Sunday, so that is a fair indication of how tough the course played,\u201d he said. Scott, who won the NSW PGA Championship in 2007 with a brilliant score of 20 under par, described the Headland greens as \u2018fast, and tricky\u2019. \u201cI can honestly say that over the two days, I had just the one putt that I didn\u2019t have to think too much about. The rest were delicate,\u201d he said. Scott conceded he struggled on the par fives. \u201cI was one over \u2013 seven pars and one bogey \u2013 on the two days,\u201d he revealed. Overall, he carded seven birdies, 24 pars and five bogeys, and vowed to defend his title in 2026. \u201cThis is now my annual Easter getaway. I love the event,\u201d he said. Best of the Headland members were Adam Richards and Ben Duncombe, both of whom finished on three over 147.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

FIELD OF DREAMS: <\/strong>Pelican Waters member, Cooper Field, has won the 2025 Sunshine Coast Junior Open Amateur, played at Headland over the Easter weekend. Sixteen-year-old Cooper, who is the son of three-time Australian High-Performance Coach of the Year, Grant Field, fired rounds of 74,75 -149, to finish five over par in the 36-hole event. He won by seven shots, finished seventh overall in the Open Championship field, and his proud dad said he played \u2018very well\u2019. \u201cIt was a really tough course, and I was pleased the way Coops handled the conditions,\u201d said the coach of several high-profile golfers, including 2022 British Open Champion, Cameron Smith. When asked if he thought Cooper, who was once a promising junior rugby league player, could\u00a0 \u2018make it\u2019 in golf, Grant quipped \u2018yes, if he wants to do it\u2019. Cooper finished 15th in the Australian Junior Championships at Indooroopilly last week, and was second in the Victorian Junior Masters last year. Cooper\u2019s Pelican teammate Jensen Williamson (162) finished fourth in the Junior Division at Headland on the weekend, while Headland\u2019s reigning Junior Champion, Sam Fichera (164), was fifth.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

CHAMP RETURNS: <\/strong>Brian Kesby turned back the clock to his Headland glory days with three \u2018wins\u2019 over the Easter weekend. Teeing it up in the Sunshine Coast Amateur Open for the 22nd time \u2013 at 6.30am both days – the rising 72-year-old won the 36-hole Division Two gross (78,79 -157), was Senior Champion runner-up by a shot, and was also runner-up \u2013 to fellow Headland member Stewart Clover \u2013 in Division Two gross on Sunday. Describing the course as \u2018magic\u2019, Brian said he could not believe the improvement in its condition in the five days since Masters Monday. \u201cIt was amazing how much it had improved. The greens were just brilliant over the weekend,\u201d he applauded. Playing off six, the 30-year Headland member penned three birdies, 17 pars and 16 bogeys over the two rounds, and was justifiably proud of no double bogeys on his cards. Headland Club Champion in 1997, 2002, 2004 and 2005, Brian finished a creditable 23rd in the Open field and said he \u2018loved\u2019 the recent improvements in the course. \u201cI am probably biased, but I think Headland is the best course on the Sunshine Coast,\u201d he opined.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

BAZ IS BACK: <\/strong>A frustrating six-month period in which his GA handicap has drifted from six to eight, ended on Wednesday for colourful member Barry Newton. The semi-retired Business Finance Broker, who lives adjacent to the 17th fairway, shot five-over 77 to win the A Grade Mid-Week Medal with nett 68, the best score on the day. \u201cIt was tough out there. The course was understandably pretty sloppy from all the recent rain, and the rough is long,\u201d said Barry, whose daily handicap under the conditions was nine. \u201cI cannot remember when I last played off nine, and I\u2019m getting baited by my mates about slipping out to double figures.\u201d But apart from a double bogey at the 17th \u2013 when he quipped his ball was keen to get home \u2013 Barry\u2019s card was solid. He birdied the par-five second, penned 10 pars and five bogeys. \u201cI turned 64 last week and the simple truth is that I\u2019m not hitting it as far as I once did,\u201d he lamented. Barry, who is arguably Headland\u2019s best-dressed member, won his last Medal in January 2024. Patron Simon Whittle (69 nett) won B Grade, Dylan Fennell (69) won C Grade and Peter Francis (36 points), Graham Clarke (36) and Dennis Clifford (33), claimed the top spots A, B and C Grade in the accompanying Medley Single Stableford.<\/p>\n

TOUGH, AND TIRED<\/strong>: Deborah Thomas says she has never felt as tired after a round of golf than she was on Thursday when her meagre score of 31 points was the equal best returned in the Women\u2019s Single Stableford competition. \u201cI\u2019m actually embarrassed that the score won my grade, but it was an extremely difficult day out there,\u201d said the 2017 SWING graduate who was C Grade Champion four years ago. \u201cI generally don\u2019t play when the course is wet and when carts are on paths, but because it has been a while since I had a round, I thought \u2018let\u2019s do it\u2019. But it was really, really hard work.\u201d Deborah, who has moved back to Brisbane from her six-year \u2018sea change\u2019 on the Sunshine Coast to be closer to family, has maintained her Headland membership and intends playing at least once a fortnight. She has also joined Nudgee Golf Club. \u201cI had never set foot on a golf course until I started SWING at Headland, and now I absolutely love the game,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd I especially enjoy the camaraderie of my Thursday round at Headland.\u201d Deborah, who said she \u2018played safe, and putted well\u2019, won B Grade, Kirsten Kaergaard (also 31 points) win A Grade, and Julie Lewis (30) won C Grade.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

WEEKLY RESULTS:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tuesday,<\/strong> Single Stableford, Women (13 players) \u2013 Jenny Stokes (32 points), Narelle Hollowood (25), Lisa Ramen (24).<\/p>\n

Men (46 players) \u2013 Tony Briffa (39 points), Adrian Coyne (36), Jack Hourn (36).<\/p>\n

Wednesday,<\/strong> Medley Single Stroke, Men\u2019s Mid-Week Medal \u2013 sponsor, Ryan Tomlinson, Century 21 on Duporth – <\/em><\/strong>(95 players) \u2013 A Grade, Barry Newton (68 nett), Scott Lindsay (70), John Harris (71); B Grade, Simon Whittle (69), Darcy Brown (71), Paul Anderson (72); C Grade, Dylan Fennell (69), Kyle Ormiston (71), Steven Makin (75). Best gross \u2013 Ben Duncombe (73).<\/p>\n

Medley Single Stableford (72 players) \u2013 A Grade, Peter Francis (36 points), Peter Welsh (31), Steve Rose (31); B Grade, Graham Clarke (36), Christopher Swan (35), Peter Raymond (34); Denis Clifford (33), Phil Maron (32), Ian Llewellin (32).<\/p>\n

Thursday,<\/strong> Single Stableford, Women \u2013 sponsors, Mary Dowling, Penny Cooper, Catherine Peterson, Ruth Broderick, Pruce Byrnes, Julie Lewis and Lyn Keogh <\/em><\/strong>(71 players) \u2013 Division One, Kirsten Kaergaard (31 points), Jenny Ingham (31), Will Sprake (30); Division Two, Deborah Thomas (31), Laura Mason-Baierl (28), Gail Young (27); Division Three, Julie Lewis (30), Sue Wake (29), Trudi Russell (29).<\/p>\n

Men (68 players) \u2013 Matt Potter (40 points), Jamie Holbrook (38), Sergio Nogarotto (36).\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Saturday<\/strong>, Men\u2019s Sunshine Coast Amateur Open \u2013 sponsor Justin Walsh, Walsh Consulting Engineers<\/em><\/strong> \u2013 round one (175 players) \u2013 Division One \u2013 gross, Scott Draper (69), Jake Smith (71); nett, Ash Reck (71), Fred Scheepers (72). Division Two, Sam Dangerfield (77), Scott Bromfield (77); nett, Warren Sorby (71),<\/p>\n

Carter Greeff (71); Division Three, gross, Mark Swift (85), Gary Marr (85); nett, Clint Adams (72), Ron McMahon (73).<\/p>\n

Sunday<\/strong>, Men\u2019s Sunshine Coast Amateur Open \u2013 sponsor Justin Walsh, Walsh Consulting Engineers \u2013 round two (170 players) \u2013 Division One, gross, Daniel Sheehan (72), Adam Mollis (72); nett, Jack Hourn (72), Tim McMaster (73); Division Two, gross, Stewart Clover (78), Brian Kesby (79); nett, Peter Walker (71), Barry Newton (71); Division Three, gross, Anthony Fichera (85),<\/p>\n

Nathan Williams (85); nett, Jarrod Kennewell (72), Mike McQuarrie (75).<\/p>\n

Overall<\/strong>, Men\u2019s Sunshine Coast Amateur Open Champion, Scott Draper (69,73 \u2013 142), runner-up, Jake Smith (146); nett, Jack Hourn (144), Tim McMaster (149). Division Two, gross, Brian Kesby (78,79 -157); Scott Bromfield (157); nett, Stewart Clover (142), Barry Newton (143); Division Three, gross, Anthony Fichera (90-85, 175), Nathan Williams (175); nett, Jarrod Kennewell (145), Mark Swift (151). Junior Champion, Cooper Field (74, 75 – 149), Jaxon Smith (156). Senior Champion, Peter Wouters (76, 80 – 156), Brian Kesby (157).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From Tony Durkin\u00a0 BACK-TO-BACK: Former World No.42 tennis player, Scott Draper, has won back-to-back Men\u2019s Sunshine Coast Amateur Open Championships, prevailing once again at Headland over the Easter weekend. The lowest handicapped player in the field off plus four, Scott… Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1911,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11648","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-headland-headlines"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/headland.miclub.com.au\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11648","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/headland.miclub.com.au\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/headland.miclub.com.au\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/headland.miclub.com.au\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1911"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/headland.miclub.com.au\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11648"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/headland.miclub.com.au\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11648\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11649,"href":"https:\/\/headland.miclub.com.au\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11648\/revisions\/11649"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/headland.miclub.com.au\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11648"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/headland.miclub.com.au\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11648"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/headland.miclub.com.au\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11648"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}