{"id":7959,"date":"2021-12-19T09:05:26","date_gmt":"2021-12-19T09:05:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/headland.miclub.com.au\/cms\/?p=7959"},"modified":"2023-07-25T08:27:48","modified_gmt":"2023-07-25T08:27:48","slug":"headland-headlines-20-12-21","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/headland.miclub.com.au\/cms\/2021\/12\/19\/headland-headlines-20-12-21\/","title":{"rendered":"HEADLAND HEADLINES 20-12-21"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

FATHER CHRISTMAS: <\/strong>In the spirit of Christmas, it seemed fitting that the final official competition at Headland prior to December 25 was won by a former Catholic priest. Tim Nunan partnered Phil Maron to score 49 points and win the Closing Day Medley Fourball Best Ball Stableford on a countback from father-and-son combination, Burgess and Brett Stephenson. And in keeping with the tradition of family bonding during the festive season, the husband-and-wife team of Liz and Tony Dunford (48 points) ran third, while another father-and-son combination \u2013 Matt and Jack Fisher (47) – were fourth. Tim (handicap 21) and Phil (24) teamed superbly, contributing 25 and 24 points respectively, with each scoring a birdie for four-point returns. Ex-priest Tim, who also had working stints as a parole officer and mediator before retiring four years ago, was a late inclusion following a withdrawal from Phil\u2019s group and, according to Phil, Tim putted so well he did not need to offer any prayers. Phil, an IT expert specialising in Business Intelligence, joined Headland when he moved from Melbourne early last year, and Saturday was the first time he and Tim had met.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>COURSE BURNS: <\/strong>Four-time Australia Order of Merit Legends Tour winner Brad Burns returned to the scene of his very first event as a professional golfer to win Tuesday\u2019s Innovative Planning Solutions Legends ProAm at Headland. A two-under par 70 was good enough to share the spoils with Gold Coaster Richard Backwell, while there-time Australian Masters and Australian PGA Champion Peter Senior (72) was third, alongside Murray Lott. Burns was just 16 when he first played Headland 49 years ago and described the course as \u2018lightyears different\u2019. \u201cI have played Headland half a dozen times since then, and this is without doubt the best I have ever seen the course. And, it is the toughest I have seen it play,\u201d said the former Gladstone junior who now lives at Woombye. Brad had five birdies, 10 pars and three bogeys on his card, while Richard mixed two birdies with 12 pars and two bogeys. A field of 63 professionals \u2013 aged 50 years and over \u2013 teed off in the event and played for a purse of $22,000.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>DAD BEATEN: <\/strong>Titleist Leadership Manager Matt Dowling has assumed for some time he may have another budding champion challenging for a spot in his sponsorship\/promotions stable, but did not think the prodigy would blossom at such a young age. That youngster \u2013 his 15-year-old son Ben \u2013 not only won the amateur section of Headland\u2019s Legends Pro-Am last week, but in doing so beat his dad off the stick for the first time. Having never played Headland previously, Ben conquered the extremely tough Championship layout with a four-over 76 from his eight handicap, for 40 Stableford points, beating member Rob Cunningham (39) and Maroochy River visitor Chopper Jacobson (37). Ben\u2019s scratchmarker dad was nine points askew, and two strokes in areas of his only son who balances a budding golf career at Keperra with his rugby league duties as a halfback for Padua College and Brothers JRL. \u201cI always thought Ben had the talent to beat me, but not this soon,\u201d lamented Matt.<\/p>\n

IN THE FAMILY: <\/strong>Familiar Headland Pro Shop faces filled all three placings in the Irish Teams event held in conjunction with Tuesday\u2019s Legends ProAm. Junior Club Champion Josh Holbrook, who has been a regular in the Pro Shop throughout 2021 while on work experience, teamed with his dad Jamie, Daniel Butler and professional Murray Lott to score 105 points, and win the event. Runners-up were Headland Assistant Pro Mitch Jacobson, who teamed with professional Chris Taylor, Good Guys Territory Executive Manager Shane Muller, and Hervey Bay visitor Andrew Diggins (103), while Head Pro Adam Norlander teamed with event sponsor James Brownsworth of Innovative Planning Solutions, Twin Waters professional Tamara Johns and Legends 2021 series winner Andrew Stolz for 98 points, and third place.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>PRO-AM SHORTS<\/strong>:<\/p>\n