Australian Senior Golfer

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

Australian senior golf kicks off in earnest for 2011 on Sunday with both professionals and leading amateurs taking part in the two day Tasmanian Senior Open at the Kingston Beach Golf Club in Hobart.

Victorian Michael Harwood (pictured) is the defending professional champion whilst local golfer Michael Leedham is hoping to repeat his 2010 victory in the amateur ranks.

Rodger Davis, Michael Clayton, John Clifford and Garry Merrick are among the Australian PGA Legends Tour regulars taking part.

After the event many of the pros will be heading off on the six event Tasmanian Pro Am series where over $32,000 will be up for grabs.

For the amateurs, the 2011 Tasmanian Senior Amateur Championship will be held the following week at the Mowbray Golf Club in Launceston.

The defending champion is leading Australian senior amateur golfer Stefan Albinksi.

The event is held from February 2-4 and will be a great opportunity for local residents to see some of Australia’s elite amateur golfers battle it out.

AUSTRALIA’S elite amateur senior golfers have ended the year on a high note with the national squad winning the Team Championship at the 2010 Asia Pacific Senior Championship and Sydney’s Stefan Albinski successfully defending his title at the 2010 Hong Kong Senior Amateur Championship.

The Asia Pacific Senior Championship was played at the Bangkok Golf Club and Australia entered the final round tied for the lead with New Zealand and two strokes in front of the Indian team.

In an exciting final round the Kiwis went to an early lead thanks to front nine sub par heroics by their stars Rodney Barltrop and Murray Martin but the Australians fought back to end the day three in front of their trans Tasman rivals.

India was another five strokes away in third

At the end of play the Australians had a narrow three stroke margin over the Kiwis with India another five strokes away in third place.
In the individual section the winner was Taimur Amin from Pakistan with a 54 hole total of 215 – one under par. The best placed Australian was Greg Corben who finished in equal fourth position on a total of 226.

The Australian team included Corben, Rick Oliver, Grahame MacDonald, Stefan Albinski, Peter King and John Beaumont.

Albinski wins in Hong Kong

Leading senior amateur Stefan Albinski successfully defended his title at the 2010 Hong Kong Senior Amateur Championship.

The Mona Vale golfer posted consistent rounds of 73-73-74 (220) to be a three stroke winner over fellow Australians John Beaumont (78-76-69=223) and Greg Corben (76-74-73=223) who tied for second.

Grahame MacDonald (75-78-73=226) finished in fourth place making it a clean sweep for the Australians.

Denis Dale wins 2010 NSW Senior Order of Merit
In other senior amateur news, Denis Dale has won the 2010 NSW Senior Order of Merit competition for the fourth time in the five year history of the event (Albinski won in 2008).

New senior Denis Day charged home with some great performances late in the season to claim second place.

Day currently has a handicap of +2 and will be one to watch in senior events throughout 2011.
Finishing in a tie for third place were Greg Stanford and Greg Corben, with the Over 65 medals being won by Jack Parker, Clark Gibbons and Geoff Lumsden.

A special award was given to three Iron Men – Barry Bray, Geoff Lumsden and Chris Collins who competed in 32 of the 35 events.

Percy takes the 2010 Victorian Senior Order of Merit

Ross Percy won seven events to take the Victorian Senior Order of Merit for the third time (2006-7, 2010).

Percy led the Doug Bachli from the start of the season, showing a clean pair of heels to second place getter Alan Bullas, with Ray Walker coming in third.

Australia’s elite senior amateur golfers will now no doubt spend the Christmas break following strict dietary regimes and amping up their personal fitness routines.

AUSTRALIA’S top senior amateur golfer Stefan Albinski has won another honour, finishing on top of the 2010 Australian Men’s Senior Amateur Ranking System.

The Sydney golfer finished ahead of John Beaumont from South Australia with fellow New South Welshman Rick Oliver third.

The 2010 Senior Ranking Winner in the 65 Years and over division was Queensland’s  Ian Read, with Geoff Everett (NSW) second and Michael Jackson (VIC) third.

The ranking system operates over a 12-month rolling period with players’ points determined by their finishing positions in events across Australia.

The events attracting the strongest fields are awarded the most points.

The player with the highest points average at 31 October each year is recognised as the winner.

See the complete results here on the AUSOOM website.

QUEENSLANDER Chris Coats has won his second Australian Senior Match Play Championship after narrowly defeated fellow Queenslander Col Hallam at the Thirteenth Beach Golf Club in Victoria.

The engaging final battle went down to the 18th hole when Hallam narrowly missed a two metre putt to hand the title to Coats 1 up.

Coats won the inaugural Australian Senior Match Play in 2007 and was very excited to win again.

He got over a big hurdle in the second round when he came up against defending champion Stefan Albinski, fresh after a first round bye.

Coats beat Australia’s top senior amateur golfer 2&1, then beat Ross Bockman 4&3 in the third round and accounted for Roy Vandersluis 1 up in his semi final.

Runner-up Hallam played some great tee to green golf over five days but was ruing some crucial missed putts.

In the play off for third place Vandersluis (NSW) edged out Queenslander Ian Read in a close battle that again finished on the final hole.
In other matches Bockman finished the week in 5th place with four wins after defeating Graham Bowen (6th) 2 up.

NSW golfers Denis Dale and Richad Greville finished their match all square and shared both seventh place and senior ranking points.
Australian representatives Albinski and Peter King also had a tough consolation match encounter with King finishing on top with a 1 up victory. King finished in overall 9th place and Albinski 10th.

AUSTRALIA’S top senior amateur golfer Stefan Albinski has taken out the 2010 Victorian Senior Amateur Championship with a typical fighting final round to make up a three stroke deficit.

Albinski, the reigning Australian Senior Amateur champion, put himself further behind overnight leader Bill Banks when he bogeyed the first hole at The Sands Golf Club, Torquay, in the three day event this week.

But as the 64 year old Banks and others dropped shots at crucial times, Albinski held firm.

A great birdie on the 178 metre par three 17th by the Mona Vale golfer sealed the win and saw him finish with a one under par 71.

It was Albinski’s second Victorian Seniors title and his 14th win since exploding onto the over 55’s elite Australian amateur golf circuit by winning the 2008 Australian Championship, his first event.

The Sydneysider has battled some injury and related form loss of late but looks to be coming back to his best.

Banks, not far off his 65th birthday, finished three strokes behind but by leading the first two rounds demonstrated he is still one of the county’s best senior amateurs.

Rick Oliver, who had his chance when a birdie on the 9th put him briefly in the outright lead, finished in third place a stroke behind Banks.

Attention will now turn to the Australian Senior Match Play Championship to be played at the nearby Thirteenth Beach Golf Club from Monday (October 25) next week.

In November, Albinski will lead a six man team of Australian seniors to compete in the 2010 Asia Pacific Senior Championship in Thailand.

The Australian team will be keen to take back the title they lost to New Zealand last year.

The Australian team includes Albinski, John Beaumont, Peter King, Greg Corben, Rick Oliver and Grahame MacDonald.

2010 Victorian Senior Amateur Golf Championship Final Result:

1    221    ALBINSKI Stefan    76  -  74  -  71
2    224    BANKS Bill    74  -  73  -  77
3    225    OLIVER Rick    76  -  73  -  76
3    225    MASLEN Paul    80  -  74  -  71
5    226    TATT Chris    78  -  73  -  75
6    228    BEAUMONT John    79  -  72  -  77
7    229    SAMS Brian    81  -  70  -  78
7    229    PERCY Ross    79  -  72  -  78

NSW senior golfer Greg Corben has taken the 2010 South Australian Senior Amateur Championship with a two stroke victory over tour veterans Rick Oliver and Denis Dale.

Corben (75-75-76) continued his recent highly consistent form and shared the championship lead at the 18 and 38 hole stages of the event, played over three days this week at The Grange Golf Club West Course.
Corben produced some great golf in the in the final round and was under par playing the 15th. He dropped some shots in the closing holes to finish with a 76 and a total of 226.

Corben, from the Twin Creeks Golf Club in Sydney, is a former state hockey player and Sydney grade cricketer who didn’t take up golf til he was 33.

The 57 year old, who has also won the Queensland Senior Amateur for the past two years, was delighted with his performance but said he was lucky Australia’s leading senior golfer Stefan Albinski was not at its best for the tournament.

“He has just had a hernia operation and he will improve for future events,” Corben said.
Perennial combatants Rick Oliver (77-77-74) and Denis Dale (77-76-75) continued the battle that seems to have been unabated since they shared the 2007 Australian Senior Championship title.

At the end of the day they again could not be separated and took out equal second place on 228.
South Australian newcomer Deane Harris, joint leader after the first and second rounds, finished alone in fourth with a 229 total.

Current Australian Senior Amateur Champion Stefan Albinski (76-77-79), West Australian Graham Bowen (76-79-77) and senior circuit stalwart Brian Sams (76-76-80) shared fifth place.

The SA Championship, which is part of the Golf Australia Senior Men’s Ranking tour, attracted 69 entrants from 50 clubs with 40 players travelling from interstate.

Australia’s elite senior amateur golfers will now be setting their sights on the year’s second national senior title – the 2010 Australian Men’s Senior Match Play Championship, to be played at the Thirteenth Beach Golf Club in Victoria from October 25 to 29.

Final Top 10 Scores:
1    226    CORBEN Greg    NSW    75  -  75  -  76
2    228    DALE Denis    NSW    77  -  76  -  75
               OLIVER Rick    NSW    77  -  77  -  74
4    229    HARRIS Deane    SA    75  -  75  -  79
5    232    ALBINSKI Stefan    NSW    76  -  77  -  79
               BOWEN Graham    WA    76  -  79  -  77
               SAMS Brian    NSW    76  -  76  -  80
8    235    BOCKMAN Ross    NSW    77  -  80  -  78
9    236    ANGUS Bob    NSW    79  -  78  -  79 (Handicap Winner)
               GOVER Tony    ACT    78  -  81  -  77

NSW senior golfer Greg Corben and home state newcomer Dean Harris jointly lead the 2010 South Australian Senior Amateur Championship after the first round of the event at The Grange Golf Club West Course.

Looming just one stroke behind the leaders on 76 are Stefan Albinski, Brian Sams, and David Evans, all from NSW, and WA’s Graham Bowen.

Denis Dale (NSW), Whippy Wellington (TAS), Ross Bockman (NSW) and Rick Oliver (NSW) are on the third tier on 77.

Another group of four players are on 78 – Richard Greville (NSW), John Beaumont (SA), Tony Gover (ACT) and Alan Bullas (VIC).

The final round of the 54 hole event is on Wednesday, a great opportunity to get down to the Grange and see some of Australia’s finest senior amateur golfers in action.

There will be a two tee seeded start from 11.30am