KIWI Rodney Barltrop has fired a sizzling final round 69 to take out the 2009 Australian Men’s Senior Amateur Championship at Bribie Island Golf Club.

It was the third Australian seniors championship win for Barltrop, who began the third and final round three strokes behind overnight leader Grahame MacDonald from Queensland.

Whilst Barltrop shot three under par, MacDonald had his first over par round of the week and finished with a three over 75 to tie for second place with Kiwi Martin Webber.

It was a big day for the New Zealanders with Webber also signing for a 69, easily the highlight rounds of the tournament.

In fourth place it was yet another Kiwi in Arthur Parkin, who put in three solidly consistent rounds.

Barltrop previously won the championship back to back in 2004 and  2005.

“This is pretty close to the greatest day of my life,” Baltrop, a member of Royal Wellington Golf Club said after accepting his third championship trophy.

”I knew going into the round I had some chances but I certainly needed a little bit of help from Grahame,” he said.

“I hit a few good shots and a few bad ones but it worked out well.’’

In the Interstate Teams Matches, the Queensland team of Colin Hallam, Grahame MacDonald, Michael Maher and Barry Miles were crowned victors after the three rounds.

The trio combined for a total of 680 (best 3 scores over 3 rounds). WA was in second place on 681.

Attention will now turn to Sanctuary Cove on Monday and Tuesday when a dozen of the best senior golfers from Australia and New Zealand do battle for the Trans-Tasman Senior Trophy.

FINAL RESULTS

Position  Name  State  Rd 1  Rd 2  Rd 3  Total

1 BARLTROP, Rodney (NZ) 72 74 69 215

T2 MACDONALD, Grahame (Qld) 71 72 75 218

WEBBER, Martin (NZ) 74 75 69 218

4 PARKIN, Arthur (NZ) 73 73 75 221

T5 TATT, Chris (Vic) 74 72 76 222

MARTIN, Murray (NZ) 77 72 73 222

7 SAMS, Brian (NSW) 73 80 70 223

8 CORBEN, Greg (NSW) 73 76 76 225

T9 DALE, Rodney (NSW) 71 75 81 227

MCPHERSON, Ian (WA) 76 74 77 227

MAHER, Michael (Qld) 76 75 76 227

SHANNON, Barry (NZ) 77 75 75 227

TERRACE, Peter (Qld) 78 76 73 227

T14 TAYLOR, John (Vic) 77 72 79 228

LEITCH, Michael (NZ) 74 76 78 228

T16 GAMSBY, Bob (WA) 73 79 77 229

BOCKMAN, Ross (NSW) 72 81 76 229

DALEY, Phil (NSW) 76 79 74 229

T19 BOWEN, Graham (WA) 74 77 79 230

BANKS, Bill (ACT) 76 76 78 230

BRODIE, Eric (NZ) 76 77 77 230

COATS, Chris (Qld) 73 80 77 230

GOODALL, Nigel (WA) 77 77 76 230

T24 ALBINSKI, Stefan (NSW) 72 80 79 231

STANFORD, Greg (NSW) 74 78 79 231

STILL, Robert (ACT) 79 77 75 231

(Photo courtesy of Golf Australia)

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