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)