MURRAY DOWNS MEN
EVEN with the cooler weather and quite a number of grey nomads away enjoying the warmer climate, there are still good numbers of golfers continuing to take part in the daily competitions at Murray Downs.
Saturday’s competition against par was contested in three divisions, with Rich River Golf Club visitor Stojko Kresojevic (6), who was having a look around the course before Sunday’s pennant, taking out Division 1 with a score of +2 from Ken Gregory (9) on +1. Division 2 went to Chris Grant (17) with +1, in front of the in-form John Tripodi (16) at square. In Division 3, Jarrod Halligan (20) was the best with +2, from Mitchell Croft (19) on +1. The ball rundown went to scores of -2 and better, with the nearest the pins won by Zoran Stojanovski (Curlewis) on the second, Peter Tripodi (Medway) on the fifth and Matt Jean (Rich River) on the 11th.
Friday’s nine-hole competition winner was Barry Ingram (13) with 20 points.
Thursday’s competition was a Stableford event held in two divisions, with Richard Johnson (29) recording the day’s best score of 39 points to take out Division 2 from Wayne Such (24) with 35 points. In Division 1, Doug Grant (7) came out on top by way of the countback system with 36 points, ahead of Cam Wilkins (16). Scores of 33 points and more were required to be eligible for a ball, while the NTPs went to Ross Hastings on the fifth, Neville Brady on the 11th and Wayne Wisby on the 15th.
On Sunday there were cold, wet and windy conditions for the medley Stableford event, in which Janelle Hogan (25) took out the win with 35 points, ahead of David McClelland (13) on 34 points. Other players required at least 33 points to be in the ball rundown, with the NTPs going to Greg Armsden on the second and Matthew Loats on the 11th.
Also on Sunday, Murray Downs hosted the final round of WRCGA winter pennant, with matches between Murray Downs and Deniliquin and Rich River going up against Barham. In Division 1, Murray Downs defeated Deniliquin 3 and 2, Division 2 was won by Murray Downs 4.5 to Deniliquin 0.5 and in Division 3 Murray Downs made it a clean sweep, winning 5 matches against Deniliquin.
In the matches between Rich River and Barham, it was Rich River 5 defeating Barham 0 in Division 1, Rich River 3 to Barham 2 in Division 2 and Rich River 5 to Barham 0 in Division 3. The elimination finals will be played at Rich River on Sunday, August 7, when Murray Downs take on Barham and Rich River play Deniliquin in Division 1. In Division 2 it will be Deniliquin facing Barham and Murray Downs playing off against Rich River.
In Division 3, it will be Rich River up against Barham and Murray Downs playing Deniliquin, all for a place in the grand final, which will take place on Sunday, August 14, at Deniliquin Golf Club.
Last Tuesday’s daily competition was against par, with Wayne Such (26) recording the day’s best score of square with the card. He was followed by Rob O’Brien on -2, Michael Corridan on -3 and Shane Pinata (Carrington) -5 in the ball rundown.
MURRAY DOWNS LADIES
THIRTY-six points is the score required to play to your handicap, with only one competitor bettering this goal at Murray Downs on Wednesday.
Rosie Ficarra, fresh from a Queensland holiday, put together 38 points from her 24 handicap to win Division 1 from Glenda Coulter (28) on 33 points. In Division 2, Barb Cadd (29) on 35 points won Division 2 from Eileen Morath (34) on 33 points, with Virginia Allen (27) leading the ball pool on 33.
Anne Webb collected the nearest-the-pin jackpot on the 11th, with Janette Tucker, Jill Brown and Marg Moore playing the most accurate shots to the remaining par threes.
Saturday’s competition was against par, with Joan Foster (36) four up and Jill Bath (29) square heading the prize list. Robyn Bett (27), also square, led the ball pool.
Lynne Bishop won two nearest-the-pin prizes, the others going to Marg Moore and Janette Tucker.
VETERANS’ GOLF
A SMALL field braved the icy conditions at Lakeside Golf Club on Tuesday morning, with all enjoying the hot soup for lunch provided by the good ladies. The ladies’ winner with 27 points was Jean Youl, while Marg Learmonth was runner-up with 26 points on a countback from Marg Moore.
The men’s winner was the big-hitting captain Graham Wyte after scoring 32 points and winning on a countback from Graeme Bray. Ball pool winners were Meryl Cameron, Marg Moore, Peter Roberts and Ian Dodd, while the nearest the pins were won by Meryl Cameron, Ian Dodd, Peter Roberts and Hank van de Veen.
The next veterans’ event will be held at Murrabit (Sandscrape Championship) on Tuesday, August 16, and as it could be the last time we play at Murrabit, a good roll-up would be great.
