Australian Senior Golfer

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.

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

NSW golfer Stefan Albinski has led from start to finish to win the 2008 Australian Men’s Senior Amateur Championship at the Royal Perth Golf Club.
The Mona Vale GC member posted a 73 yesterday for a sensational three round total of four under, the only player to beat par.
Albinski was playing in his first Australian Senior Amateur Championship and came home four strokes ahead of West Australian Alex Cleave.
Cleave also shot one over in tricky conditions in the final round on the par 72 tight and challenging Royal Perth Course.
Leading all the way, Albinski (70-69-73) suffered a hiccup when he bogeyed the 11th hole and then saw Cleave (72-71-73) cut the margin to just two with a birdie on the 12th. But the NSW senior kept his composure to take out the title, helped along by a double bogey by Cleave on the 16th.
Fellow NSW player Tony Gresham (78-71-72) and American visitor Norm Swenson Jr (71-75-75) tied for third. Victorian Ross Percy (72-74-76) shared fifth place on 222 with another American visitor Kemp Richardson (73-75-74).
Incredibly, defending 2007 co-champions Denis Dale and Rick Oliver, both also from NSW, again finished the event dead level, scoring 227 and sharing 11th spot with Mark Meares (NSW), Ross Bockman (NSW) and Mal Roberts (WA).
The NSW team of Tony Gresham, Denis Dale, Rick Oliver and Bill Banks narrowly defeated the Western Australian team by two strokes in the State Teams Championship.

Photo: Championship winner Stefan Albinski (left) and runner up Alex Cleave. (Photo courtesy of AUSOOM)