MURRAY DOWNS MEN’S
ALL is in readiness for the Murray Downs Golf & Country Club’s hosting of the 93rd running of the NSW Golf Open.
This prestigious golfing event began in 1931, and is being hosted by the renowned Murray River course in 2024.
The event has attracted a world class field of golfers, including Cameron Smith, Lucas Herbert and Geoff Ogilvy, along with a large contingent of Australia’s best up and coming golfers.
The event gets underway with practice rounds on Monday and Tuesday, followed by the Pro Am on Wednesday and then the major event over the next four days.
One hundred and forty four players will take part in the first two days, before the cut to play over the weekend, with the top 60 players, plus ties going through to the final two days.
On the local scene, the past week saw the November monthly medal played last Saturday, which was taken out by Chris Knee (21) with an excellent nett score of 66.
Ross Hastings (10) was the best in A grade with a nett 68, while Dave Hogan (13) was the B grade winner with nett 67 and the C grade winner was Max Carroll (19) also with a nett 67.
The runner-up in A grade was Lleyton McLean (3) with nett 69, Ross Hendy (16) in B grade with nett 68 and Andrew Stone (22) from Woodlands Golf Club with a nett 68.
Sunday’s event was a medley Stableford competition played over three divisions.
The best score of the day came out of C grade, where a visitor from Shepparton in Jason Warburton (36) recorded 47 points, with the runner-up in this grade Nadine Cox (29) with 44 points.
A and B grade were decided by the countback system, with Sebastian Parseghian (21) getting the nod over Rick Austerberry (22), with both scoring 36 points, while in A grade, Jayden Graham (10) came out of top ahead of Jarryd Hitchcox (13) from Blackwood Golf Club, with both players finishing with 42 points apiece.
MURRAY DOWNS LADIES
MORE than 30 Murray Downs women’s members made up for the lack of golf to attend a working bee and help tidy up the gardens at the club on Wednesday.
The last golf day before the NSW Open was on Saturday, when Avis Shipsides (41) scored 40 points to win ahead of Mabel Spitty (13) with 36 points, on a countback from Rhonda Barrow (23).
The nearest the pin winners were Anne Stone (Victoria Golf Club) and Claris Bourne.
Jo Williams scored 22 points to win the Golden Girls competition on Friday, with Eileen Morath scoring 20 points to finish as the runner-up, having also collected a nearest the pin prize.
The November Monthly Medal has been scheduled for Wednesday, November 20.
MURRAY DOWNS DAD’S ARMY
ON Monday, October 28, members played the back nine, with the best score recorded by Ross Cox on 19 points, ahead of Barry Bishop and Kevin Maddy on 17 points.
They were followed by three on 16 points, John Brereton, Ian Dickson and Barry Ingram, then Robert Smith and Raymond Frame on 15 points and Graeme Bray on 14 points.
On Wednesday, October 30, members played the front-nine, with Barry Bishop returning with the best score of 20 points ahead of Graeme Bray on 16 points, Ian Dickson and Ross Cox on 15 points, Gavin Scown and Brian Devlin on 13 points, Barry Ingram and John Brereton on 12 points and Kevin Maddy, Raymond Frame and Gordon Parsons on 11 points.
The weekly winner was Barry Bishop with 37 points, ahead of Ross Cox on 34 points, Ian Dickson on 31 points, Graeme Bray on 30 points, Kevin Maddy, John Brereton and Barry Ingram on 28 points and Raymond Frame on 26 points.
On Monday, November 4, members played the back-nine, with Barry Ingram and Ian Dickson coming home with 20 points.
They were followed by Ross Cox and Gavin Scown on 19 points, Robert Smith on 18 points, Barry Bishop on 16 points, Ian Ray on 15 points and Kevin Maddy on 12 points, while six players scores were not recorded on MyScore.
There was no golf at Murray Downs on Wednesday, November 6, for the Dad’s Army crew.
CROSS BORDER CHALLENGE
THE Cross Border Challenge was held on Sunday, October 27 at the Tooleybuc Golf Club, with players from various Northern District Golf Association clubs taking part in a Stableford event.
The Victorians retained the trophy, scoring 29.307 to beat NSW 29.230.
Many thanks to all who participated and to the Tooleybuc Sporting Club for hosting the challenge.
