Finals day was played yesterday at Bayview. As previously advised, Mona Vale and Long Reef were the final two clubs to fight for this year’s title. Weather was overcast and rainy on and off during the day adding another dimension for the players coupled with the fact that one of our team was diagnosed with Covid causing a last-minute shuffle to the line-up and another two carrying niggling injuries. The final team was:
Mike Radford
Michael Robotham
Steve Hepworth
Doc MacDougal
David Rose
Rob McDonald
Mark Thompson
Lance Barnes (reserve match)
The two club’s aggregate handicaps were remarkably similar with Mona Vale at 73.7 and Long Reef 73.8 also noting that Long Reef had managed a win against us on the last occasion the teams had met earlier in the season.
Things didn’t start well with our No.1 managing to hit two shots into the water on the first hole. Thing did not really improve during the day and Rado lost his match 7/6. Mike Robotham however continued to battle, halving a couple of holes with birdies, and eventually winning his match 2/1. Steve Hepworth was at least 3 down in his match at various stages but his determination to be the only Mona Vale player not to lose a match this year saw him win 2up against a very good opponent in the Long Reef team captain Steve Twigg. A great effort by Steve on the day and for the whole season. Doc called into the side at the last minute was admirably caddied by his son Angus and was too good to win 4/2. So, we were up 3 matches to one with David and Rob coming down the 17th. Unfortunately, the postman Rob McDonald could not deliver on this occasion hitting his 2nd into the water and Dave succumbed to a very experienced campaigner in Les Browne from Long Reef. With both sides gathered around the 17th and the scores at 3 all our final two matches approached the green. Mark Thompson was two up playing the hole but sprayed his tee shot well left. Somehow he managed to hit his second through the trees to just short of the green and chipped well. The pressure was too much for his opponent who on last count was still trying to extricate his ball from a hazard with the count to 9 before he conceded. Mona Vale had won with 4 wins in the bank. Lance had battled all day but managed to hit his 2nd into the water on 17th . He recovered to halve the match. Final result was 4 and a quarter point to 3 and a quarter point.
This is only the second occasion in the 21 years of the competition that Mona Vale has managed to win the Northern Peninsula Inter Club challenge. Thank you to all the players who competed in this year’s side. I think it true that everyone enjoyed the experience with several players competing for the first time. Hopefully, we might be able to do it again but it’s a very strong and competitive competition. For what it’s worth last year’s winners Cromer took home the wooden spoon beaten by Bayview and Wakehurst finished third beating Manly.
Ross Fleming
Team Manager
