Watts surges to high-voltage victory

Watts surges to high-voltage victory

It took a high-voltage finish for Michael Watts to clinch the outright win in Saturday’s Par round at the Blue Lake Golf Club.

Thanks to a birdie and subsequent plus on the second, Watts had a good round of +2 going after the outward nine.

A par on the 10th was wiped out with a bogey on the 12th but a grand finish of one birdie and three pars edged out Marty Markiewicz in a countback after both closed out with +4.

While Markiewicz also had a +2 over the back nine, they were added early on to just get pipped at the post.

Taking a break from his hectic new parenting skills, Josh Gale showed that not only can he change nappies but he is also a very handy golfer, taking out A Grade with +3.

Beginning his round with two wipeouts was not the start he had envisaged but a birdie on the third got his scoring going in the right direction.

Mildly happy with holding his game together over the front nine and just a score of minus one on the card Gale felt the wind behind his sails over the back nine, four birdies and three pars seeing him with a 33 off the stick and a +4.

John Millhouse (11) was another who relished the back nine after a tardy start.

Just the two bogeys to go along with a birdie on the 17th saw the affable Millhouse take the silver prize with a nett +2 after an inward nine of 36 and 4 par plusses.

Bob White had his patience tested over the back nine.

With a great +3 on the front nine White had the momentum going to return a winning score. Unfortunately, after starting with a plus on the inward nine to go four up White then suffered a whiteout, adding two minuses over the rest of the round to finish tied with Millhouse on +2.

To add salt to the wound he then missed out on second place thanks to a mediocre finish.

Former demon Barber Shield fast bowler Markiewicz had to settle for the B Grade win after the count back for the major prize.

There were glimpses of superb play from the 18 handicapper with birdies on the first and fourth but just as quickly that he earned a plus he gave it straight back to end up with equal splits of +2.

The back nine was the favourite nine for the day with Adam Dunn also relishing the hillier part of the course.

Turning with -1 Dunn had not learned his lesson, adding another minus to the card straight away on the 10th but from then on it was full marks.

Finishing with five successive pars Dunn and 2 minuses to finish +2 overall and take second place.

Simon Perryman was another to bounce back well after slightly below par opening nine, three pars and a birdie on the 17th helping him turn a -1 front nine into an overall score of +1 and take third place after a countback.

The back nine trend continued in C Grade with the always smiling Steve Dwyer having splits of 0 and +3 to take out C Grade.

Dwyer would have had the mumbles going after a great birdie on the 10th was given straight back with a triple bogey on the 11th and another minus on the 12th.

However, he got his cart back on track and finished +4 over his last six holes and a total of +3.

After a short break from golf it did not take Alan Stewart long to find his mojo. Equal splits of +1 saw him take second place and heading back to B Grade soon.

With the upcoming Club Captains day happening on this weekend ladies captain, Helen Myers, warmed up with a win in the women’s Par competition.

Myers (21) found the going easy over the opening nine, turning with +3.

Just when she thought how easy the game was reality bit, opening her back nine with successive wipes.

That was enough to spice up her deli roll, putting her head down and finishing plus one which was enough to secure the win.

A count-back was required to decide second and third with Di Perryman and Helen Stratford both finished square.

Perryman (19) got the nod with equal splits of square while Stratford got no reward after her superb birdie on the second.

Garry Fox blistered Tuesday’s midweek stroke competition field with a superb round of 74-12-62. After a late night of watching Jason Day on TV Fox put his new found swing to good use, reeling off three birdies in his round.

Fox even found time to throw in a couple of double bogeys, turning with a 38 off the stick.

Teeing it up on the last none of his playing partners dared to mention how well he was playing, hoping he would hold it together over the last hole.

All he needed was a simple bogey or better to shoot under par, a personal best for the affable Fox. Unfortunately, the grip got a little bit tight and he found the trees on the right and then the bunker on the left before scrambling a six to take a slight gloss off what was otherwise an outstanding round.

Closest to catching Fox was Brett Lewis who also had a great round.

After a solid opening 40 Lewis was expecting just as good over the inward nine and everything was going to plan, including an unexpected birdie on the 12th to set himself up for a tilt at the win.

However, disaster struck on the benign 17th, a triple bogey costing him any chance of the win. His round of 83-15-68 was still good enough to reel in second place.

Always a gentleman on the course, John Millhouse banked third place with his 69, holding off Trevor Finnis in a count back.

Millhouse (11) came in with a neat 39 which included a double bogey on the 10th while Finnis shot himself in the foot with a triple bogey on the last costing him in the count back.

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