Australian Senior Golfer

Greg Corben ... 10 stroke victory

NSW GOLFER Greg Corben has cantered to victory at the 2012 Northern Territory Senior Amateur Championship at Alice Springs Golf Club.

Corben was the only senior amateur golfer taking part to break 80 in all three rounds of the championship on the testing Alice Springs course.

His rounds of 75, 78, & 74 gave him a 227 total and a 10 stroke win over Darwin golfer Thomas Harold (79-80-78=237) with Queenslander Ian Read (81-84-82=247) in third place.

Alice Spring senior Reg Vitler won the 54 hole net competition.

2012 Northern Territory Senior Amateur Final Results:

227   CORBEN Gregory   75 – 78 – 74   NSW

237   HAROLD Thomas   79 – 80 – 78   NT

247   READ Ian   81 – 84 – 82   QLD

252   LOW Ian   87 – 81 – 84   NT

253   ELLIOTT Lindsay   80 – 83 – 90   SA

258   BAKER Brian   89 – 80 – 89   NSW

260   MARTIN Murray   86 – 86 – 88   NT

260   MC WATTERS John   90 – 86 – 84   QLD

263   WILSON John   90 – 82 – 91   VIC

264   MCNAMARA Colin   93 – 85 – 86   NSW

NSW golfer Graham Blizard has been shaking up the Australian Senior Amateur Golf scene with his third title from four starts.

Blizard won the just completed 2012 National Senior Masters by five strokes, making his only recent loss the NSW Seniors where he was just a stroke away from the leaders.

The Twin Creeks Golf Club member played with great control and confidence on all three of the testing National courses with his scores of 72-78-72=222 giving him a clear victory over fellow Twin Creeks member Greg Corben (79-71-77=227).

Corben had a good start to the final round and established an early lead but Blizard’s power and touch soon had him in control.

Third place went to the regular top performer, West Australian Ian McPherson (73-81-76=230) while fourth place belonged to South Australia’s top senior John Beaumont (73-79-78=231).

NSW senior Roy Vandersluis (77-74-81=232) had yet another top five finish while popular Victorian Alan Buckley showed a glimpse of his previous top class form with an easy win in the 54 hole net championship.

This top placing saw Buckley leap straight into the Top 10 in the 2012 Australian Senior Ranking Net Competition. This is the first year for the event and the competition for medals awarded at the end of the year is hotting up.

Final Scores:

222   Graham BLIZARD   72 – 78 – 72 NSW

227   Greg CORBEN   79 – 71 – 77 NSW

230   Ian MCPHERSON   73 – 81 – 76 NSW

231   John BEAUMONT   73 – 79 – 79 SA

232   Roy VANDERSLUIS   77 – 74 – 81 NSW

233   John RADEMAKERS   77 – 77 -79 NZ

233   Chris COATS   81 – 74 – 78 QLD

234   Paul MASLEN   83 – 75 – 76 NSW

235   Chris GORDON   76 – 81 – 78 NSW

235   Tham CHIN   79 – 80 – 76 VIC

235   Michael JACKSON   76 – 80 – 79 VIC

QUEENSLANDER Peter King has successfully defended his NSW Senior Amateur Championship taking the 2012 title in an exciting playoff at the Lynwood Golf Club in western Sydney.

In a tournament oft threatened by heavy rain, King finished in a tie with Coolangatta Tweed Heads golfer Rod Dale after 54 holes.

On the first playoff hole both had good tee shots but when Dale’s second missed the green and ended up with a difficult lie King’s par was enough for him to claim successive titles.

King, from the Windaroo Lakes Golf Club, is proving something of a bane to the Dale family, defeating brother Denis in a matching playoff for the same title last year.

Dale was comforted by the fact that he took home not just the runner up trophy but was also the winner of the concurrently held 2012 NSW Senior Country Championship.

King is now gaining a reputation as a sudden death playoff specialist, having late last year defeated Roy Vandersluis in a playoff for the 2011 Asia-Pacific Senior Amateur Championship.

Finishing just one stroke out of the playoff at Lynwood were NSW seniors Stefan Albinski and Graham Blizard.

Albinski has had a stellar senior amateur golfing career but the NSW championship is the only senior state title that continues to elude him.

The Sydney golfer had a very out of character final round 80 in admittedly tough going conditions but was still in contention on the last when a missed short putt put him out of the playoff.

Blizard is at the other end of the senior golfing spectrum, playing in his first NSW Senior Championship his final round 72 was just a whisker away from providing him with a debut come from behind victory. That sort of form augurs well for a very successful senior career.

The next big event on the senior amateur golfing circuit is the 2012 West Australian Seniors Championship at the Cottesloe Golf Club March 21 – 23.

Final Results 2012 NSW Senior Amateur Championship:

223 Peter KING 74-72-77  , Rodney DALE 73-74-76

224 Stefan ALBINSKI 71-73-80  , Graham BLIZARD 78-74-72

228 William BANKS 71-79-78  ACT, Trevor BOX 73-78-77

229 Richard GREVILLE 74-75-80  , Roy VANDERSLUIS 76-76-77

230 Ross BOCKMAN 77-73-80  , Denis DALE 78-77-75

231 Vince CLARK 74-82-75  , Greg STANFORD 78-74-79

232 John MACPHERSON 78-81-73

233 Denis DAY 77-84-72  , Robert STEELE 71-80-82

234 Gary BATMAN 75-79-80  , David EDWARDS 77-76-81

234 David LIMBACH 76-76-82  , Greg MCKAY 77-75-82

234 Russell ROGERS 79-78-77

QUEENSLAND’S Peter King has won the 2011 Asia Pacific Senior Amateur Championship after a playoff with fellow Aussie Roy Vandersluis at the Royal Perth Golf Club.

King fired the round of the tournament to make up a 10 shot deficit and force a tie with Vandersluis on the third and final day of the event.

After five birdies on a very challenging Royal Perth championship layout saw him post a 1-under 71 in regulation, a rock solid par on the first playoff hole was enough to take the title.

It was a big day for the host nation with the Australia B team, of which King was a member, also coming from behind to snatch victory from Australia A in the national teams event.

New Zealand, leaders after round one and joint leaders with Australia A after the second round, finished in third spot.

More than 65 players from eight countries participated in the championship, an annual event held in a rotating list of countries.

The victorious Australian B team consisted of King, Paul Maslen and Chris Coats while the A team included Vandersluis, Stefan Albinski and Denis Dale.

THE 2011 Asia-Pacific Senior Amateur Championship is underway at the Royal Perth Golf Club.

More than 65 players from eight countries are participating with the over 55 year of age contestants playing three stroke play rounds for a singles title as well as a national teams event.

West Australian local Ian McPherson lead the tournament after the first round on Thursday, making light work of the strong winds and very fast greens to shoot five birdies in his opening nine holes.

McPherson eventually signed for a 1-over par 73, giving him a two stroke lead over New Zealand’s Murray Martin.

New Zealand were leading the teams competition with Martin, Phil Mosley and Arthur Parker one stroke ahead of the Australia A combination of Stefan Albinski, Denis Dale and Roy Vandersluis.

The Australia B team of Chris Coats, Peter King and Paul Maslen were two shots further back in third place.

Teams from Australia, Pakistan, India, New Zealand, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, The Philippines and Singapore are taking part in the event.

Back to defend the singles title he won last year is Pakistan’s Taimur Amin. The three day event concludes on Friday.

AUSTRALIA’S top senior amateur golfer Stefan Albinski has won his fifth national title after a resounding victory at the 2011 Men’s Senior Match Play Championship this week.

In challenging conditions at the Thirteenth Beach Golf Links on Victoria’s Bellarine Peninsula, Albinski beat fellow Sydneysider Greg Corben 7&5 in the final.

Albinkii, who also won the title in 2009, took the lead after the second hole and although Corben fought back gamely the champion was never really challenged, finishing three under par for the 13 holes.

Both players has some tight matches to secure their place in the final, with Albinski being taken to the 18th hole in two of his previous four matches.

Corben needed to get past New Zealand’s Rodney Bartrop in the semi-final and last year’s runner up, Colin Hallam, in the quarter-final to make it to the last two.

Last year’s Champion, Chris Coats, was knocked out in the quarter-finals.

With his two national match play titles added to three wins in the Australian Men’s Senior Amateur Championship in 2011, 2010 and 2008, Albinski has had a stranglehold on the senior circuit since turning 55 and winning the national stroke championship in his rookie year.

In the play off for third place, Barltrop defeated Queenslander Dave Morrison 6&5.

The inaugural Super Senior Section of the Championship (65 plus) went to West Australian Alex Cleave who was 2-under par in his 15 holes, defeating Victorian Denis Long 5&4.

The 2012 Australian Senior Match Play Championship will move to the Twin Creeks Golf Club in Sydney and will again be played at the end of October.

THE 2011 Australian Men’s Senior Match Play Championship is underway at the Thirteenth Beach Golf Links in Victoria with competitors battling some wild and windy weather as well as each other.

The leading 32 players from the Australian Men’s Senior Ranking System as well as a new Super Senior Section for the leading 8 players aged 65 years and over are taking part.

The preliminary rounds were on Monday and Tuesday with the Finals on Wednesday October 26.

Top seed Stefan Albinski was safely through the early rounds as was defending champion Chris Coats.

The first day was not without its upsets with New Zealand’s Rodney Barltrop defeating the number two seed Denis Dale in the first round 2&1.

Barltrop had 10 up and downs and holed a 4-iron on the 17th hole for eagle to defeat the New South welshman. The number three seed Roy Vandersluis also lost in the first round  to South Australia’s Ken Brown.

The 2010 runner up  Colin Hallam was still in contention with two good wins, while in the Super Senior Section, the top seeds in the two pools, Tony Mazzone and Pat Giles, both had good wins.

Greg Corben take QLD Senior Amateur title. Photo courtesy of Gold Queensland.

GREG CORBEN from the Twin Creeks Golf Club in NSW has gone wire to wire to win the 2011 Queensland Senior Men’s Amateur Championship at the Southport Golf Club.
Corben was a model of consistency throughout the three-day tournament with rounds of 73, 72 and 74 on the par 71 course seeing him win by six shots.
Corben went in to the third round with a one shot lead and after a birdie on the second hole was never headed.

Roy Vanderslvis (The Lakes) found himself in the final group after a consistent second round of 74 (+3) to join his first round of 75 (+4). Although Vanderslvis was unable to put any pressure on the leader his final round of 5-over par (76) was enough to finish in outright second place.
Defending Champion John Beaumont (Mt Gambier) was unable to maintain his form from the first and second rounds, finishing out the tournament with a third round 8-over par (79).
Robert Lewis (Windsor) won the Nett Championship on a count back with nett scores of 71, 68, 70 to finish four shots better than his handicap. The Nett Runner up trophy went to Joseph Scopacasa (The Grange) with nett rounds 0f 69, 70 and 70.
National member Paul Lulofs aged 71 was the only player to shoot under par over the tournament after a solid one under-par final round of 70. Lulofs round produce the rare accomplishment of a player shooting less than his age in a State Senior Championship event.

Final Results
219    Greg   CORBEN  ( NSW )  72  -  74  -  73    Twin Creeks
225    Roy   VANDERSLUIS  ( NSW )  75  -  74  -  76    The Lakes
226    John   BEAUMONT  ( SA )  73  -  74  -  79    Mt Gambier
Greg   COLLINS  ( QLD )  77  -  75  -  74    Tewantin
Michael   PEECK  ( QLD )  76  -  74  -  76    Dalby
Rory   SLADE  ( QLD )  74  -  73  -  79    Surfers Paradise
227    Rodney   BARLTROP  ( NZ )  75  -  78  -  74    Royal Wellington
228    Ian   DONALDSON  ( NZ )  72  -  77  -  79    Waitikiri NZ
229    Alan   BULLAS  ( VIC )  75  -  76  -  78    Commonwealth
230    Trevor   BOX  ( QLD )  76  -  78  -  76    Hills
Peter   KING  ( QLD )  80  -  73  -  77    Windaroo

AUSSIE SENIORS BEAT KIWIS IN ANNUAL GRUDGE MATCH

EARLIER this month the Australian Senior Amateur Golf Team defeated the arch rival Kiwi senior squad to take the 2011 Sanctuary Cove Trophy.

In a tense final day of individual matchplay, with the results in the balance right to the end, the Australians matched the New Zealanders for a 6 all result in the individual games. Added to the overnight 3 point lead gained after the foursomes and fourball matches this gave the 2011 trophy to Australia by 13.5 points to 10.5.

This victory gives Australia a three series to two lead over New Zealand. The 2012 challenge is currently scheduled for February in Christchurch and is sure to be another great contest between these two friendly rivals.

The Australian team included Stephan Albinksi, Paul Maslen, Col Hallam, Chris Coats, Peter King, John Beaumont, Grahame MacDonald, Ross Percy, Greg Corben, Denis Dale, Rick Oliver and Roy Vandersluis.

STEFAN Albinski has won his third Australian Men’s Senior Amateur Championship with a five stroke victory at Tanunda Pines Golf Club in South Australia’s Barossa Valley.

Albinski went into the final round with a three stroke lead and closed with a 2-over par 74 to be at 6-over for the 2011 championship.

“This is the greatest win as it now puts me in the company of the greats of senior golf including Tony Gresham, Rodney Barltrop and Trevor Wood who have won the title three times,” the Sydney golfer said.

“I played solidly all week without any silly errors. My worst score on any hole was a bogey which was good around this tight layout.”

Albinski previously won the championship at Royal Canberra Golf Club in 2010 and at Royal Perth Golf Club in 2008.

Joint 2007 champions Rick Oliver and Denis Dale, both also from NSW, finished second and third at 11-over and 14-over respectively.

Queensland’s Peter King finished tied with Paul Maslen (NSW) in fourth place.

The ACT’s Bill Banks finished in sixth place with Richard Greville (NSW).

The Age Division winners were: 55-59 Years – Paul Maslen (NSW) 231, 60-64 Years – Peter King (Qld) 231, 65-69 Years – Bill Banks (ACT) 232 and 70 Years and Over – Tony Gresham (NSW) 234.

The NSW team won the 2011 Interstate Senior Stroke Teams event by 18 strokes with Victoria in second place.

Top 10 Leading Scores:
222 Stefan ALBINSKI 73-75-74 NSW
227 Rick OLIVER 75-76-76 NSW
230 Denis DALE 76-76-78 NSW
231 Peter KING 76-78-77 QLD, Paul MASLEN 75-78-78 NSW
232 Richard GREVILLE 75-82-75 NSW, Bill BANKS 79-74-79 ACT
233 Graham BOWEN 76-79-78 WA
234 Anthony GRESHAM 76-79-79 & NSW
235 Chris TATT 83-77-75 VIC, Chris EVERETT 78-79-78 SA
Colin HALLAM 79-78-78 QLD

TWO time winner Stefan Albinski has a three stroke lead going into the final round of the 2011 Australian Senior Amateur Championship in South Australia.

The Sydney golfer had three birdies in an up and down 75 that put his two round total at 148.

Fellow NSW golfers Rick Oliver and Ross Bockman share second place. The long hitting Bockman recorded the equal best round of the day with a one over par 73 while Oliver dropped some shots late to finish with a 76.

These three will make up the final group when the final round gets underway at the excellently prepared Tanunda Pines Golf Club in the Barossa Valley.

Four strokes from the leader is another two-time winner in Denis Dale, also a New South Welshman, who has a pair of 76’s and needs to find form with his putter if he is to challenge the leader.

Bill Banks, another previous Australian champion, is tied for fifth with newcomer Paul Maslen.

Playing in his seventeenth consecutive Australian Senior Championship Kevin Ashley bounced back from a first round 95 to hit a 76, an astonishing turnaround.

The championship is open to players aged 55 and over.

Given his usual form in important final rounds it will take something special to beat Albinski.  

Leading Scores:
148 Stefan ALBINSKI 73 – 75 NSW
151 Rick OLIVER 75 – 76 NSW, Ross BOCKMAN 78 – 73 NSW
152 Denis DALE 76 – 76 NSW
153 Paul MASLEN 75 – 78 NSW, Bill BANKS 79 – 74 ACT
154 Peter KING 76 – 78 QLD, Steve CANN 77 – 77 VIC
155 Graham BOWEN 76 – 79 WA, Anthony GRESHAM 76 – 79 NSW
155 Grahame MACDONALD 78 – 77 QLD
156 Ross PERCY 75 – 81 VIC, Vince CLARK 78 – 78 NSW