Metropolitan Major Pennant Finals are underway at Riverside Oaks. Five Mens Divisons and the Womens Major Pennant will be decided today.
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Division I: It’s all Blue as NSW Claim Major Pennant
NSW GC have claimed a record 13th Metropolitan Major Pennant title with a 4 1/2 to 2 1/2 win over the 2024 title holders, Concord Golf Club at Riverside Oaks today.
On a day that saw everything from bright sunlight to a fierce southerly halt play for a small period of time the youthful side from La Perouse held their composure tou outlast their – on paper at least- more experienced opponents.
Team Manager and coach, Warwick Dews was delighted with the team and how they had performed, not just in today’s final, but throughout the season overall.
“They are such a talented group, we’ve just gone through a rebuild at the course, so we had to play all of our home games away,” Dews said. ” It’s an honour to be associated with the future of Australian golf.
Asked about what they could achieve in the future, not only as a team b ut individually, Dews, in his quietly spoken way, said it was all in front of them.
“Future? It’s whatever they want to put into it. Some of these guys are some of the best I’ve seen in the last decade, so let’s see what happens.”
As a win for the a club of the stature of NSW within the sport, Dews said victory in a competition as revered as the Major Pennant was integral to the club’s view of who they are.
“It’s an important part of our club’s story, for sure,” he added.
RESULTS – DIVISION ONE
Jye Halls Tied with Coby Carruthers
Kayun Mudadana Def Blake Phillips 3/2
Jake Riley Def Ti Fox 3/2
Ali Rachid Def Kade Webber 1 Up
Harry Bolton Lost To Chase Thorpe 5/4
Blake Hodges Def Bo Chung 4/3
James Domazetovski Lost to Matthew Thomas 2 Up
Women’s Division: SIX Not Out For The Australian
The Australian Golf Club’s Women’s Team have made it an amazing six straight Women’s Crowns with an enthralling display of golf this afternoon, defeating Bonnie Doon, 4/1.
Despite many observers view that the Kensington women were the overwhelming favourites, their gallant opponents, Bonnie Doon, shows real purpose to ensure the match was a walkover.
An especially proud Manager, Edwina Kennedy, said the result was never taken for granted by the squad, but she acknowledged in a final anything could happen.
RELATED LINKS: WOMENS FINAL SCORES
“This has been six hard fought seasons,” Kennedy said. “The girls come back each year and they still want to play their best, and they never get complacent.”
“We always knew anything could happen today, and things got a bit tight. We came through on the back nine , bath thew were a few matches which were quite tight and a Bonnie Doon put on good fightback.”
For Kennedy, one of Australia’s greatest female amateurs, seeing her squad develop not just as accomplished golfers, but genuinely warm and weel respected individuals was what mattered.
“It’s so much fun seeing them develop as people, and I’m just excited to be part of it with them.”
Division II: North Ryde Storm Home
North Ryde have stood tall, surviving a withering comeback from Bonnie Doon to take out the DIvision II Pennant in a nailbiter.
With two matches requiring an extra hole, it was the heroics of Alex Sghabe, who locked up his point with a superlative pitch shot to gimme disatace to all but assure the Ryde unit of the match. It was put to bed moments later when Tom Crockert made his par on the last toe defeat Bart Carroll , 1 up.
One fo the Squad’s FIVE managers, Glenn Woodley, summed up the significance of the win, stating it was a collective effort from a group of guys determined to leave little to chance.
“The Camaraderie of this lot is fantastic,” Woodley grinned. “We are little club with a lot of pride, and a lot of effort goes into running this.”
Woodley said the wait for a major flag of some sort had been a long time coming for the club, but just as importantly, returning to Diviison I from next year was also the focus.
“I think number one was the flag, but ( returning to ) division one was also what we wanted.”
Woodley said the plans for celebrating back at the club were well advanced. He said with 100 supporters on course, that there would be at least 200 or so back at the club.
“There’ll be plenty back there,” he grinned.
RESULTS – DIVISION TWO
Jackson Fennell Def Josh Bell 3/2
Tom Crockart Def Bart Carroll 1 UP
Joseph Lin Lost to Warren Sellors 4/2
Alex Sghabe Def Jess Colquhoun 19th
Alistair McKie Lost to Dan Christian 4/3
Michael Hooper Def Joey Doran 2/1
Luke Cincotta Lost to Jones Comerford 19th
Division Three: Cabramatta Shake Pennant Drought
A wait of about 20 years came to an end for Cabramatta today, with a hard fought win over Eastlake in the Division three final.
Sargon Hilaney, the Cabramatta Team manager said the win brought him an immense amount of pride.
“I’m really proud to manage these guys. They are a good team wiht a mix of young and old players. They work together and help one another. Watching them do it for themselves has been great.”
HIlaney said the mere act of getting to the final was a fantastic result for the team, which although undefeated, did post two halved contests during the round robin stages.
“To get to the final was an achievement. We had a tied match against Killara we could have won.”
With Division Two now beckoning, Hilaney said he felt the side would rise to the challenge.
“It’s going to be tough. Hopefully the boys will get into a routine, practice hard and make the step up.”
Results: Division Three
Keston Cummings Lost to Scott Robertson 4/3
Radonvan Maric Lost to Harley Holohan 3/2
Miklos Nagy Def Matthew Xu 3/1
Andrew Marsh Def Scott Campbell 2/1
Jyiten Cummings Lost to Pearse Donnelly
Dylan Marsh Def Peter Tunks 1 Up
Owen Woodley Def Tim Fisher 3/2
Division Four: Antill Park Shine Bright
Antill Park have shone bright to claim the Division Four Major Pennant Crown with a 5 – 2 win over newcomers North Turramurra.
The win capped an undefeated season for the team from south west Sydney, a result team Manager Brent White was quick to highlight.
“I’ can’t tell you how good these guys were all season, to go through undefeated is pretty special. They are all home-grown and they turn up for one another.”
“They deserve this win, and they deserve to celebrate. We are heading back to the club, which is staying open for us, so it is going to be a big celebration.”
RESULTS Div Four
Kieth Shepherd Tied Richard Southwell
Dylan Humphries Def Nick Hayes 4/3
Harry Davies Lost to Chris McNeill 3/2
James Richards Tied James Sharpe
Logan Whitelaw Def Derek Couper 2/1
Darin Andrerson Def Will Soo 2/1
Lewis Gibson Def Benjamin Finter 1 up
Division Five: Hurstville Claim Div Five
Hurstville have claimed the clubs first-ever pennant with a win in Division Five, 4.5 to 2.5 over a gallant Wallacia outfit.
The match went down to the wire with a couple of matches going extra holes. Hurstville team manager Chris Kerrigan was extremely proud of his charges, especially after the disappointment of losing two years ago.
“It feels fantastic,” Kerrigan grinned. “We lost the closest of matches two years ago, three all and we lost the last match on the 18th.”
“It was hard, but to come back and win this feels really good.”
Kerrigan said the plan was to celebrate, however they were keen to hang around and have a ‘few” in celebration.
RESULTS DIv Five:
Shane Kearney Def Christopher Holmes, 1up
Kani Terita Tied Paul Cheshire
Michael West Def Robert Walker 3/2
James Hawkes Lost to Mathew Cheshire
Michael Brandt Def Josue Paz 7/5
Lachlan Piowes lost to Martin Sciciuna on the 21st
Todd Shaw Def Matthew Holmes 4/3.
