Trainee Pro Am
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Tocumwal Golf & Bowls Club again hosted the Victorian, Tasmanian and South Australian PGA Trainee Championships last week.
This is the 17th consecutive year Tocumwal has hosted the event with one of the biggest fields of 111 trainees competing.
Yarrawonga trainee professional Dale Crothers led wire-to-wire to win the 2019 event by six shots from Victorian trainee Brayden Petersen.
The year 1 trainee led by two shots going into the final round and shot a final round of 1-under 71 around the Captain’s course to record a comfortable victory.
The forecast for the final round was for cold, wet and windy conditions but players woke to a calm, cool and overcast day which was a welcome surprise while overnight rain softened conditions on the Captain’s course.
‘‘It’s been a great week,’’ Crothers said.
‘‘I hit the ball great all week and its fantastic to win my first State Trainee title.’’
Crothers was 1 under through 9 holes to lead by three shots before his closest challenger, Petersen, recorded back-to-back bogeys on the 11th and 12th holes compared to two birdies for Crothers to extend the lead to seven shots.
Crothers finished with a tournament record total of 17-under 271 with Petersen in outright second on 277.
Sharing third was defending champion Frazer Droop and last year’s runner-up Mitch Gannon on 279.
Tocumwal trainee Malcolm McKenna equipped himself well for his first 4-round professional event with scores of 77, 75, 71 and 80 for a total of 303 and finishing in a tie for 38th position.
McKenna is six months into his traineeship and will return next year all the better for the experience.
The leading woman was Rebecca West who completed the tournament in outright 37th on 14-over 302.
Tocumwal
Caleb Bovalina made an outstanding start to his campaign for back-to-back Club Championships with a round of 69 on Saturday.
Bovalina leads the race for the Division One title ahead of Charley McKenna on 72.
Division Two is led by Robert Burns 71 followed by Jeffrey Conrad 74, while Division Three’s leader is Neil Bull on 78 with runner-up Bruce Cavanaugh 80.
NTPs went to Charley McKenna 2nd Pres, Brent Huckel 18th Pres.
Saturday also saw 39 ladies playing stableford with Division One going to Cheryl Hart with 35 points on countback from Noeline Duncomb.
Jennie Hehir was the Division Two winner with 28 points on countback from Mary Murdoch.
NTPs went to Petra Wilmot Pres 2nd, Lynne Parry Pres 18th.
A total of 44 ladies played stableford on Tuesday last week with Division One won by Wendy Bedford with 38 points on countback from Sharon Pyle.
Mary Murdoch was the Division Two winner with 34 points on countback from Linda Forsyth.
NTPs went to Robyn Benbow 2nd, Nannette Mullins 8th, Jo Boake Pro Pin $45 17th.
Men’s stableford saw 92 players compete on Wednesday with Division One going to Colin McNamara with 41 points, runner-up was Terry Stokes 38.
Neville Smith was the Division Two winner with 41 points followed by Mario Dubuisson-Perrine (Cranbourne Golf Club) 40.
Robert Burns was the Division Three winner with 40 points with runner-up going to Wayne Kerr 36.
NTPs went to Phillip Lovelace 14th, Ray Stringer 18th, Terry Stokes Pro Pin $99.
Men’s Gold winner was Laurence Rickard 39 points followed by Alan Penny 29.
On Sunday the club hosted a four person stableford with best three to count with the winning team being John and Helen Crilly, Bruce Cavanaugh and D Carney who had 115.
Second place went to Neil and Susan Bull and Mark and Julie O’Brien 114, third place went to Ron and Denise, Anne Brown and Jill Collins 112.
Finley
The North East and Riverina Window Cleaners stableford event was played on Wednesday.
Julie O’Brien with 33 points claimed the daily trophy. NTP on the 13th was Sharon Pyle.
Ball competition winners were Heather Daniel and Gay Henderson who each had 32 points.
Martin Cruickshank was well in front of the field when he carded 41 stableford points to take the trophy at Wednesday’s Men’s Country Club Hotel/Motel 18 hole competition.
Ball competition winners were Bill Mansell (38), Doug Smith (38), John Taylor (37) and Leo McNamara (37).
At the Thursday nine hole stroke competition, Rand Wilson survived a countback on 36.5 net to come out on top and claim the voucher with Beau Makkinga, who was runner-up, the ball competition winner.
On Saturday the A & A Harding event was played which included the May Monthly Medal/Club Brooch.
Bill Mansell with 72 net claimed the daily trophy as well as the net medal and the Cock of the Walk title.
Colin McNamara with an off the stick total of 83 took the day’s scratch trophy along with the May Scratch Medal.
Janet Delmenico with 77 net in the ladies event claimed the daily trophy along with the Club Brooch and after countback the ladies putting with 32 putts.
NTP on the 18th went to Paul Pinnuck.
Ball Competition winners were John Taylor (73), Martin Piggin (75), Eric Dean (75) and Marian Ayres (80). NAGA Trophies were claimed by Barry Wonwood and Sue Simpson.
Stableford was played on Sunday when Paul Pinnuck, with 38 points, took the Flippa’s Auto Electrics Trophy.
Pinnuck was also NTP on the 18th and ball competition winners were Leo McNamara (35) and Barry Fahey (33).
From now until the end of November all players taking part in the Thursday afternoon nine hole competition stand the chance of being a winner in the Golf NSW Play 9 Competition with the ultimate prize being an all expenses paid trip to Sydney for the Australian Open in December.
At the weekend Mixed Fourball will be played on Saturday, which is the Qualifying Round for the WRDGA Mixed Fourball Championship, and on Sunday stableford will be played.