Thursday the 22nd Sept. saw the final of this year’s Hyland Cup, Leongatha Golf Club’s Men’s Handicap Matchplay competition.

From the original 39 entrants, the final was a contest between Barry Stevens and Colin Bear.

The front nine was shared and both players tested each other out with some great golf. Colin then won the long par 4 -11th hole to be one up. They then halved the 13^th and 14^th. 

 Barry put his drive from the 15th tee into the trees on the dogleg and had to chip out sideways, and Colin played down the middle and won the hole to put him 2 up with 3 to play and looking like a winner.

On the tricky par 3- 16th hole, Barry put his tee shot to within 1 metre of the pin, while Colin was off the green to the right. Colin got his ball up and down for a par, but Barry sank his birdie putt to cut the lead to 1 down.

The 17^th saw both players about 20-30 m short of the green for two. Colin used his Texas wedge to putt his ball within about 5 metres of the flag and two putted. Barry chipped, finishing closer to within 1 metre of the flag. Again Barry sank a lovely putt to win the hole and square the contest. At this stage the golf was first rate and worthy of the Hyland Cup final but the pressure was building on both players.

Then came the 18^th hole.  Both players hit good drives to the right of the fairway, before Colin hit a long second shot to an ideal position left onthe fairway at the dogleg leaving a perfect approach position to the green. Barry pulled his second shot right and short of the corner and could only chip his third shot past the corner and his ball came to rest behind the bunker. 

Barry then skinnied his chip shot over the bunker and through the green towards the clubhouse quite some distance from the green and was in trouble.

Colin was a chip and a putt away from taking out the Hyland Cup. He played his pitch shot towards the green but came up short and put his ball in the bunker left of the front of the green.Unfortunately for Colin, he took four shots to get out the bunker and make the green.

Barry is not one to miss a second chance, and played a great chip shot up the embankment and finished within a metre of the hole, so Colin conceded the match to Barry. That’s what we love about matchplay, it’s not over until it’s over.

But a great contest between two good golfers resulted in a win on the 18th for Barry Stevens.  Well done to Barry, Colin and all those who played in this years Hyland Cup.

Colin Bear (left) congratulates his opponent and winner of the 2016 Hyland Cup, Barry Stevens.