Australian Senior Golfer

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

ONE of the strongest fields in recent times will fight out the 2011 Australian Men’s Senior Amateur Championship in South Australia this week.

Over 70 players will contest the 54 hole event at the picturesque Tanunda Pines Golf Club in the Barossa Valley from May 3 to 5.

Defending champion is Stefan Albinski from NSW who will be vying for his third title in four years.

Albinski is the number one ranked senior amateur golfer in Australia and currently holds three State Senior Amateur Titles.

Another serious contender for what is Australia’s top senior amateur title will be New Zealand’s Rodney Barltrop.

Barltrop has claimed three Australian Senior titles since his first in 2004.

Flying the flag for South Australia will be John Beaumont from Mount Gambier Golf Club. Beaumont was part of the winning Australian Team that won the team event at the 2010 Asia-Pacific Senior Amateur Championship in Bangkok.

One of the oldest players in the field is 71 year-old Tony Gresham from NSW. Gresham is one of Australia’s greatest ever amateur golfers, having won the 1975 Australian Amateur Championship and NSW Open, and the 1976 SA Open. He was also a member of the Eisenhower Team from 1968-1980, and is the only Australian player whose score counted in the team score for every one of his 28 rounds.

With all players from the top 20 of the Australian Men’s Senior Ranking System competing, competition is sure to be fierce.

DEFENDING champion Stefan Albinski has won the 2011 Western Australian Senior Amateur Golf Championship by a record 14 strokes and is a red hot favourite to again take out the national title in May.

In a commanding display at the Mandurah Golf Club, Albinski showed the form that has kept him on top of the senior amateur golf rankings in Australia for 74 weeks.

The Sydney golfer finished the three rounds at a one under par 215 (73-68-74) and but for an uncharacteristic triple bogey on the par five 5th would have had three sub par rounds on a course and in conditions others found quite difficult.

Second place went to the local Mandurah player Graham Bowen (80-74-75=229) with fellow West Australian Ian McPherson (74-84-74=232) third.

Roy Vandersluis (77-81-76=233) moved to second place in the national rankings with his equal fourth placing with West Australian Brendon Curtin (76-81-75-232).

Fellow New South Welshman Denis Dale fought back after a poor first round (81-76-77=233) to fill sixth place but was ruing some missed birdie putts in the final round.

The 2011 Australian Senior Amateur Championship will be held at Tanunda Pines Golf Club in May.

2011 Western Australian Senior Amateur Golf Championship Final Scores:
1 215 Stefan ALBINSKI 73 – 68 – 74 NSW
2 229 Graham BOWEN 80 – 74 – 75 WA
3 232 Ian MCPHERSON 74 – 84 – 74 WA
4 233 Brendan CURTIN 77 – 81 – 75 WA
4 233 Roy VANDERSLUIS 76 – 81 – 76 NSW
6 234 Denis DALE 81 – 76 – 77 NSW
7 235 Tony MUSGROVE 76 – 82 – 77 WA
8 236 Tony KENNINGS 87 – 76 – 73 NSW
9 238 Chris COATS 80 – 78 – 80 QLD
10 239 Barry SQUIRES 84 – 78 – 77 WA

QUEENSLAND senior golfer Peter King has snatched the 2011 NSW Senior Amateur Championship with an eagle on a dramatic second play off hole at the Bermagui Golf Club.

King had started the final round four strokes clear of a group of challengers but drifted a little to allow tour veteran Denis Dale (NSW) to fight back and force the tournament into extra time.

The first play off hole was the long and difficult 1st at Bermagui and the players halved this with a bogey each.

The second extra hole was the par five 18th with King the longest of what were two excellent tee shots.

Dale had to lay up but then wedged close to the tee for a very good birdie opportunity.

A tenacious King took on the challenge and hit a superb fairway wood over water and bunkers to find the green.

What was quite a large crowd erupted when King calmly holed his long putt for an eagle three and the title.

Third place was shared by a trio of players one stroke back from the winning three round total of 225.

These were Leonay golfer Laurie Cupples (75-78-73), who had his best senior event to date, the ever consistent Roy Vandersluis (75-76-75) who had an uncharacteristic and costly double bogey on fourteen that denied him his first senior title; and Steve Hall (74-80-72), who played excellent golf and signalled that his current 10 handicap is in great danger.

Leading amateur Stefan Albinski (72-79-78) made his expected final round charge and had caught the leaders in typical style but then leaked six strokes over the final nine to stop him claiming one of the few senior amateur titles the New South Welshman has not won.

Previous winner Bill Banks (ACT) (81-74-74) recovered well from a poor opening round to take the title of NSW Country Senior champion.
Rick Oliver (72-83-75) had something of a shocker in the second round but came back to tie for eighth with Nick Dunn (76-76-78).
The NSW Senior Championship is now the major state title with a higher ranking than any other event apart from the Australian Senior Championship.

This was again reflected by the large field of very talented senior amateurs competing on a course that continues to win wide praise.

2011 NSW Senior Amateur Championship Leading Scores
1    225    Peter King    75  -  72  -  78 QLD
2    225    Denis Dale    75  -  77  -  73 NSW
3    226    Roy Vandersluis    75  -  76  -  75 NSW
3    226    Laurie Cupples    75  -  78  -  73 NSW
3    226    Stephen Hall    74  -  80  -  72 NSW
6    229   Stefan Albinski    72  -  79  -  78 NSW
6    229    Bill Banks    81  -  74  -  74 ACT
8    229    Nick Dunn    76  -  76  -  78 NSW
8    230    Rick Oliver    72  -  83  -  75 NSW

10    230    Tony Gover    71  -  81  -  79 ACT
10    231    Terry Small    76  -  77  -  78 NSW
10    231    Rod Dale    76  -  78  -  77 QLD
10    231    Bryan Kelly    78  -  76  -  77 ACT
10    231    John Beaumont    77  -  78  -  76 SA
10    231    Joe Marumo    77  -  79  -  75 ACT
10    231    Peter Richardson    78  -  78  -  75 NSW
10    231    Brian Sams    80  -  77  -  74 NSW