THE State Sand Greens Championship played in Wagin from August 6-9 proved to be an outstanding success and a great achievement by the Wagin Golf Club.
Former member Greg Guile suggested 10 years ago that Wagin should support the State Sand Greens Championship and endeavour to hold the event in Wagin.
Years of planning, participation and patience finally bore fruit when the club was chosen to hold the event in Wagin this year.
The successful hosting of the championship was due mainly to the incredible hard work carried out by the club president John Thompson, with the support of his many helpers and the almost unbelievable effort from the catering staff, mainly Marilyn Brockway, Jan Painter, Robin Dunham and their willing helpers, to prepare 180 meals three times a day for four days.
Thursday opened with a two-man ambrose to give the serious golfers a look at the local layout.
A total of 180 starts participated, with local or former locals filling the first three places.
The winners of the day were John McDonald and Evan Sewell 58.25 nett, runners-up were Trevor Patterson and Merv Stonehouse 58.75, third was Phillip Sprigg and Reece Taylor 59 nett, fourth was C Hirsch and D Tremlett 59.75 and fifth was Ken and John Adams 60.25 nett.
The gross winners were M and E Dennis 61, the runners-up were C Zapelli and P Edwards 62, third was C Scolari and R Smith 63, fourth was K Hasson and G Heavey 64 and fifth was B Hirsch and B McAlpine 65.
The serious golf got underway on Friday morning when 178 participants hit off in perfect conditions in the fourball B/B stableford.
Comfortable winners were Peter Townsend and Kevin Brook on 52 points.
Five pairs returned 50 points, requiring a countback to decide placings.
The runners-up were F Knight and R Smith, third was L Bickerstaff and K Ritchie, fourth was L Holt and P Steike, fifth was D Wilson and K Pollock and sixth was J Earnshaw and G Hegarty.
The gross winners were M and E Dennis on 43 points and the highlight of the day was a hole in one on the three par eight hole by Taylor Rowe.
The major event of the weekend, the 36-hole stroke, attracted golfers from nearly every country club in the state, including the metropolitan area, when 176 hit off in terrific conditions.
Golf was of a high standard, with seven golfers returning cards of par or better.
The first round leader was Brendon Nazar of the Royal Perth Golf Club with a great 70 off the stick.
Next best was Peter Gaby 71, from the Boulder Golf Club.
Five others returned 72.
The pressure was really on over the final 18 holes on Sunday as 13 golfers were in the running for the major award, all with four strokes off the lead, including Wagin's Ken Adams sitting on 74.
Class finally prevailed when Michael Dennis really hit the straps, carding a great 67 off the stick to comfortably win the big event by four strokes, returning 72-67-139 gross for the 36 holes.
The runner-up was first round leader Brendon Nazar on 70-73-143 nett, third was Brady Watt Sun City Golf Club 144, fourth was Glen Tillotson Busselton 145, fifth was Gavin Reed Royal Perth 145 and sixth was Eric Dennis Kwinana 146.
The best first round was Peter Gaby 71 and the best second round was Josh Joyce 72.
The 36-hole closed winner was Stephen Lord 145.
The next placings could only be decided by a countback and victory went to Paul Walsh Moora 129 nett.
The runner-up was Darren Tremlett Latham, third was G Ward Serpentine, fourth was R Smith Denmark, fifth was Wayne Hegarty Wagin, sixth was K Gors, seventh was K Darbyshire and eighth was J Casserly Boyup Brook.
The best first round nett was S Curry Carnamah 60 and the best second round nett was J Webb Serpentine 64.
The veterans' winner was K Ritchie Serpentine 131, runner-up was Trevor Hubley Bremer Bay 133 and third was Fred Knight Denmark 135.
Congratulations to the Wagin Golf Club for a well-organised and well-run event.
It is back to normal this weekend with the sixth and final qualifying round.
No doubt all golfers will be eager to improve their position in the eights.
Arrange partners from about 12pm.
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