SGD Combined side wowed out of the finals.
Wow what a game on Sunday 6th December 2015.
After winning Section 7 of the Golf Victoria Junior Pennant and the right to play in the Quarter finals at Churchill Park Golf Club against the Kew Bears, SGD went into the contest as winners with nothing to lose. We had achieved more than we hoped in our first season and anything from here was a bonus well earned.
Each of our six players received shots with Kew Bears having low handicappers as 1,2,and 3 players (6,8 and 10 ) and our top half off 18, 20, and 31. The margins increased over the next three with Kew’s being 18,18 and 23 and SGD’s being 34,36,and 45. But we know in golf size doesn’t matter.
The games commenced on the 10th hole after a little debate on the order of play but the competition rules were to be followed and we were pleased that the high handicappers teed off first.
Jessica Harry (LGC)(45) and Oscar Harry (LGC)(36) both got off to good starts and Jessica was 2 up after two and held sway and as the day warmed up, so did her opponent and their match was square by the 15th with Jessica two down at the turn. Jessica went to 3 down after the 1st on the front nine but fought back in the hot conditions winning the next two holes to be one down at the 5th. The match see-sawed until the 8th which her opponent won, and the match gone, down 2/1.
Oscar was up early by as much as four but his opponent wasn’t about to give up and finding greater accuracy off the tee and with his approach shots, soon had the match back to square at the turn. The front nine was a tug-o- war and went down to the wire with neither being able to nail the game.
Approaching the 9th and last hole, Oscar was three shots and over the back of the green with his opponent, also with three shots on the green, back right of the pin and with a difficult 7 metre down hill putt. Oscar’s chip back onto the forward sloping green went through and into the bunker and although he got a shot on this hole, my knees were knocking.
But Oscar knew better, he pulled out his sand wedge and played the perfect bunker shot leaving a one metre putt which he holed in one, finishing with a 6 for this hole. His opponent’s first putt for the win, followed the contours two metres past and down hill from the hole. His second putt for the draw scorched the lip but rolled on and the match was won by Oscar, 1 up.
The next two off were Tim Boler (LGC)(34) and Jacob Taberner (Lang Lang)(31) and acting captain for the day. Tim played a very accurate opponent who soon took advantage of Tim’s wayward game and had Tim 7 down after 8 holes.
Tim was having one of those day’s us golfers know happens, but can’t explain why. He was coming off 39 points the day before; he had been one of our strengths during the preliminary games, but alas today he couldn’t buy a good game. All however wasn’t lost, and Tim found some form and won the 18th which sparked his confidence and he fought back to be 5 down at the 4th before succumbing at the 5th, 6 down /4 to play.
Jacob was unusually scratchy with his drives as well today but took an early lead to be two up by the 14th before his opponent fought back to square the game on the 16th. A win on the 18th to Jacob saw him 1 up at the turn.
The match was tight on the front nine and the match square by the 5th. Jacob’s tee shot on the par 3 – 6th just trickled off the back of the green but that was fatal. He uncharacteristically fluffed a couple of return chips and the hole was lost. He squared the 7th but the two tiered green on the 8th, which Jacob had to at least square, was his nemesis with 5 putts and the the game was gone, down 2/1.
At this stage, our Team prospects were looking doubtful with three losses and one win and and the No.1 and 2 players to come.
Last group No. 2-Alex Geyer (Wonthaggi)(20) playing his opponent off (8) and our No.1-Charlie May (Lang Lang)(18) playing his opponent off (6).
In a titanic battle Alex edged one up against his opponent and kept his foot on the pedal playing an array of drives from the majestic to a shocker or two; but his recoveries were solid and he never dwelled on his mistakes, taking the game 2 up into the turn.
On the front nine his opponent came backon the first with a win, but Alex continued to hold sway and his approaches to the green from some tricky lies, were superb. His tee shot on the par 3-6th hole held a good position on the green and was a game breaker considering the wind was getting stiff at this stage, and he gained a three shot lead. Alex rounded the game off on the 7th winning 3/2 up.
Charlie May came into the contest after winning the monthly medal at Lang Lang the day before so wasn’t going to be intimidated by anyone. Charlie got off to a geat start and was two up after two before his big hitting and adept opponent, fought back winning the next 5 of 6 holes. Charlie had a couple of wayward drives and maybe some nerves, and trailed at the turn two down.
On the front nine Charlie pulled out his A Game and played superbly squaring three holes and winning four making him two up with two holes to go coming into the 8th and getting a shot on that hole.
Both players had tricky approaches to the two tiered green with Charlie landing on the lower tier for 4 and his opponent landing on the upper tier, two metres from the hole also for 4. Charlie’s first putt was short but managed to remain on the upper tier about 3 metres from the hole.
His opponent putted for the win to keep him in the game, but his ball slid past and he was given the next putt. Charlie had to sink his putt to win the hole. With an expectant crowd of team mates, caddies, parents and friends around the green, Charlie carressed the ball straight up those 3,005 millimetres of the green and the ball dropped to the bottom of the cup, winning the match 2/1 up.
Wow the crowd went wild…well… we did and the other half clapped a great putt.
Once the scores were checked, it was official; we had a drawn match, 3 wins each. What an effort for our Team to take this Kew Team to a play off.
The next step was for each team to pick a player for the play off holes. A hard decision for me as Alex finished their number two off convincingly, but I went for Charlie after Kew picked their No 1, and Charlie seemed to have the equal of him at that time.
The scene was set and the play off began. The crowd hadn’t gone and everyone was going to follow the boys down the 1st.
Down the 1st Charlie was left and his opponent right, both in trees. Charlie punched out beautifully down the fairway and had a clear third shot onto the green which he did, leaving a 20 metre putt. His opponent hit out of the tree’s on one side of the fairway and his ball finished under trees nearer the green but behind the bunker on the left of the fairway.
A superb chip from 50 metres, under the foliage and past and around the bunker put his ball onto the green, a metre behind Charlies’. His first putt finished 2 metres short of the hole and Charlies first putt pulled up closer but still a metre short of the hole.
The Kew No. 1 then sank his 2 metre putt and threw his hand into the air in relief with recognition knowing he was safe and had at least drawn this first play off hole.
Charlie approached his putt and after careful preparation, made the putt but his ball eased past the lip of the cup and the match was lost by a millimetre. The table had turned.
Wow what a finish.
Well played to all, and good luck to Kew for the semi’s. (apologies for not having a copy of the Kew team list so I could refer to them by name)
I’m very proud of how our kids played throughout the tournament and particularly the finals. Commiserations to those who were not in the finals team, especially Will Christensen who was the player of our season.
Many thanks to Mark Bowler for assisting with Manager duties and all the mums, dads and grandparents who helped out with getting the team to and through the games.
Also a big thanks to the Lang Lang Golf Club for hosting our home games and Ruth for staying back and looking after us on those home games.
Back L-R : Charlie May, Alex Geyer, Jacob Taberner, Tim Boler, Oscar Harry, Jessica Harry.
Front: Kew Bears.
Coach Josh Hall (LGC) and I hope to see you all back next year.
Recent Comments