Club Championship 36 Hole Final – Roy Vandersluis v Oscar Zerbst – Oscar Zerbst WINS on the 39th hole!
In an electric final Oscar Zerbst has defeated the ageless Roy Vandersluis over an epic 39 hole battle. At 3 up through 27 holes Zerbst began to feel the pressure as the wiley veteran began to claw his way back into the match, and the pair headed up the 36th hole all square. Both players missed the green on the 18th, and as Zerbst’s par putt slid past the hole he gave Vandersluis an opportunity to take the Championship, but he too missed his short par putt. What came next was three of the most thrilling match play holes you could ever watch.
Both players calmed themselves and hit perfect drives off the first tee landing in the middle of the fairway, and with 166m to the flag Vandersluis struck the perfect 4 iron which hit the flag stick at the back of the green coming to rest 12 feet from the hole. Zerbst hit the green and two-putted for par once again leaving Vandersluis an opportunity to take the Championship, but his birdie putt slid by the hole. As they reached the second tee the rain began to lightly fall giving a slight edge to the longer Zerbst, who drove it long but in the light rough on the right. Vandersluis hit the middle of the fairway but left himself a wood into the green for his second, and came up short in the dreaded swale to the right to the green. With the pin on the back left shelf Vandersluis had what looked to be an impossible up-and-down to stay alive, but hit a great shot onto the green and then holed a beautiful putt from 25 feet to stay alive with halved pars.
The brilliant match kept the crowd enthralled even as the rain began to pour down, making the already daunting 3rd a monster of a par 4. Zerbst smashed his drive down the middle after Vandersluis pulled his drive into the left trees, and although neither player was in range of the green Zerbst sensed his opportunity. After Vandersluis missed the green with a wedge for his third shot, Zerbst hit a beautiful pitch shot to 8 feet from a tricky right hand pin that was well protected by the front bunker. Trying to stay alive Roy played a delicate chip shot close to the cup, but it wasn’t good enough as Oscar made his dreams into reality by calmly rolling in the winning par putt. Congratulations and well played to two deserving finalists!
B-Grade Championship
John Wilcox v Hugh Malcolm – John Wilcox wins 7 & 5!
C-Grade Championship
Frank Parnham v Lachlan Starkey – Lachlan Starkey wins 6 & 4!
