With the prediction of hot weather, a field of 107 took to the Mount Gambier Golf Club for the Men’s Stableford competition sponsored by Steeline.
Andrew Birks (17) in C Grade (17.0 – 45.0) shot easily the best score of the day with 45 points.
Five pars and four bogeys had his score off to a flying start on the front nine to bank 23 points.
Birks’ impressive form continued on the back nine with a further five pars and two bogeys over the next seven holes to be sitting on 42 points with two holes to play.
A slight blemish on the 17th resulted in a six and a solitary point for his score, which was followed by another par to close out the round.
Second spot in C Grade went to David Turnbull (33) with 37 points made up of splits of 18 and 19.
A Grade (-9.0 – 10.0) had the closest result, with a single point allowing Zac Shanks (6) to take the win with 41 points.
Shooting a one over the card 37 off the stick Shanks had 19 points up early, before bettering that with an even to the card 36 strokes off the stick for 22 points on the back nine.
Shanks’s scorecard had four bogies, 11 pars and three birdies.
One point behind was Craig Foster (7) with 40 points.
Foster would be rueing a pickup on the par five seventh which saw his scorecard also have four bogies, nine pars and four birdies.
Tim MacLean (14) was the winner in B Grade (11.0 – 16.0) with 41 points.
MacLean played his best golf on the front nine with three bogeys, five pars and a birdie on par three eighth hole, for 23 points.
His back nine had a double bogey, six bogeys, a par and a birdie on the 18th.
Just two points behind in second spot was David Boyce (15) with 39 points after having splits of 22 and 17.
Boyce would like to replay the 15th and 16th holes again, as he failed to score on these holes.
Players required 33 points or better on a countback to collect one of the 35 balls handed out.
Nearest to the pins were won by Darren Bilney (+1) on the eighth hole and a special mention must go to Tony Geddes (11) who scored a hole-in-one on the 16th.
Normally playing around 150 metres, the flag was slightly forward of the green, measuring 141 metres from the tee.
Geddes hit the perfect seven iron and had the pleasure to watch the ball disappear into the cup.
