MEN’S DIVISION THREE ROUND FOUR
Meadow Springs was the host club for the penultimate round of Division Three Pennant season and Nedlands was pitted against the top team, Sea View.
Could they upset the leaders or would Sea View prevail and qualify for the final?
Team selection was made even more difficult with Tristan Geerlings and Anthony Joseph not available and as a consequence Aidan Cooper and Dave Southam came into the team
Jack Ellis was selected to make his first appearance for the club in the top division – promoted from Division Five, replacing Andrew Ogilvie.
After 9 holes the scores suggested a one-sided affair with no Nedlands player in front. After 14 holes things were a little better – only just – one player in front, Ben O’Callaghan, 2 up with Ajay Dhadli closing in on his opponent.
Aidan Cooper playing no 1 was simply outclassed by former state player, Tigh van Leeuwen.
Alister Miles was locked in a keen contest and there was never more than 1 hole the difference. The match was square after 14 holes Alister lost the par 3 15th and halved the remainder to go down by 1 hole.
Jack Ellis played former Nedlands Club Champion, Mark Miller. After 9 holes he was 2 down but got it back to 1 after 11. Losses on the 14th and 15th put paid o his chances finally going down 3/2.
Callum White never got out of first gear and was beaten 5/4
Ben O’Callaghan put behind him his disappointing finishes to his first two matches and after being Square at the turn won 3 of the next 4. A loss at the next was followed by 2 wins and he ran out a comfortable 4/2 winner.
Similarly, Ajay Dhadli (1 down at the turn) ran over the top of his opponent in the final 4 holes and won 2up.
Dave Southam started well but could not capitalise after a solid start and losing too many holes early in the back nine saw him lose 2/1
That was it and unfortunately the result was not in our favour going down 5/2.
This puts the team in last position in the Division, a position no one thought was possible at the beginning of the season.
The final game is at home next Sunday commencing at 11.45 from the 6th tee. Sun City will be the opposition and the loser will finish on the bottom of the table.
Let’s hope the boys can finish off with a win.
MEN’S DIVISION FIVE ROUND SIX
Wanneroo was the venue for the 6th round of Division Five Pennants and the team was up against the bottom placed Cottesloe.
Whilst the team had lost two of its top end players, they were replaced with very able substitutes – Scott van Heurck and Rehan Alikhan. John Venner came in for David Rees.
In the closing stages of the game Nedlands looked to have a big chance of winning with Dylan Morgan turning his result around from last week where he went down 6/5, coming away a convincing 6/5 winner.
The rest of the matches were close and there was only one or two holes the difference in all of them.
Damon Watkins was 3 down after 10 holes and was still one in arrears with 2 holes to play. He won both holes and ended up a winner – 1 up.
Scott van Heurck fought back after being 2 down after 14 holes. He won the next two to make it Square with two to play. A loss on the 17th and unable to win the last he went down by one hole.
John Venner squandered a 3up lead after 9 holes and lost 4 of the next 6 holes to go 1 down. After halving the match at the 16th, he lost the last 2 holes – a loss 2 down.
John Samuels was up and down all day eventually losing at the 18th.
James Pluske won a hard-fought battle, 1 up.
Rehan Alikhan lost his way early and was 5 down which went to 6 down after 12 holes. He fought hard to take it to the 17th but the damage from the early holes made it a tough ask, finally losing 2/1.
The final result – a loss 4/3, which could have been a win to Nedlands.
The last game of the season will be played against The Vines at Lake Karrinyup commencing at 7.30am.
They will be looking for a win to knock The Vines out of finals contention and finish on a high note.
from Greg Fitzhardinge
