Club results for 4/10/25

Four more NBS Club Champs matches were decided on a showery Saturday with two going down to the wire.

Andrew Craig won through to the final of the Junior B division with a comfortable 4/3 win over Chris Louth. Starting on No 4 hole, Andrew got on top early, shooting out to a four up lead after their opening five holes before Chris won the par fives No 9 and 10 to get back in it. Another win at No 13 with a bogey cut the deficit to just one, but Andrew regained control with a good par at No 15 and a bogey at No 17 to restore a three-up lead. He ended it at No 18 after Chris took a seven. Andrew - the second seed - will play top qualifier Ian Hanford in the final.

Lewis Wilson only just made it into the playoffs after qualifying eighth in the Junior A grade but he knocked over another higher qualifier, Geoff Halkett, 4/2 to advance to the big dance where he will take on Brendan Doyle. It was all square after 10 holes with both winning three apiece before Lewis won four in a row - with a par, two bogies and a double - to take a stranglehold over Geoff who struggled for consistency. Geoff staved off the inevitable by winning No 15 with a bogey but succumbed at the next to a bogey. Lewis deserved his victory in shooting a net 70.

It was much tougher for Brendan against second seed Graham Eggers who took the match to the 18th before missing a mid range putt to extend it to extra holes. After an ugly start, Brendan won No 3, 4 and 6 with bogies to be three ahead. However, Graham parred both No 7 and 8 to be only one behind. He then seized the initiative in winning No 10, 11 and 13 with bogies only for Brendan to draw even after parring both No 14 and 15. They halved the next two so all rested on the 18th where Brendan made his putt for a bogey while Graham missed.

There was something of a surprise in the first senior semifinal when Andy Isle held off a fightback from James Campion to win on the 19th. With neither player at the top of their game, this was a match that was decided by chipping and putting where Andy had the edge most of the day. Andy made the much better start, winning the first with a bogey, the third with an excellent par and the fifth with a par to go three up. James cut the lead to two with a par at the downhill No 6 and drew level with another par at No 10. Andy won No 12 and No 14 with pars then halved the next two with par and bogey to go dormie. James made it interesting by taking No 17 with a par and repeated the dose at the 18th to extend proceedings. However, two fluffed wedges on the 19th by James proved fatal as Andy held his nerve. He will play the winner of the Peter Green and Keri Kotua semifinal which is to be played at a later date, as will the intermediate semifinals between Bryce Vincent and Gabriel Tijsen and Peter Watson and Aaron Kotua. 

In the match of the day for those not playing club champs ties, Garth Jameson bounced back from getting the cricket bat last week to shine with a +4 to easily win the par competition off the white tees. His net 68 was the best round of the day. Bryce finished second on +1, with Craig Barron third on 0.

Grant Fergusson topped the 9-holers with 19 points in the stableford round off the back nine. Warren Carey finished a close second on 18, while Lloyd Moyle and Warren Green were next with 16 each.

No-one among the 9 or 18-holers managed a two. Grant was closest to the pin on No 2/11 and Peter Watson likewise on No 5/14.

Next Saturday (Oct 11) the 18-holers play the 10th round of the Barkman Trophy and the 12th round of the Shootout off the white tees, while the 9-holers play a par round off the front nine.

Club champs finals will be held on October 18.