General News
9 December, 2020
Dan Oakley claims second championship
DAN Oakley won his second Cobden Golf Club championship on Saturday but it was not without a challenge.
DAN Oakley won his second Cobden Golf Club championship on Saturday but it was not without a challenge.
The Warrnambool-based member held off a fast finishing Ash Couch to win the prestigious event by one shot in wet, windy and cold conditions.
It was the three handicapper’s second victory in the club’s championship, with his first triumph coming back in 2018.
Oakley said he was humbled to win once again.
“It’s great to win it a second time – it proves the first wasn’t a fluke,” he said.
“Considering I hadn’t been playing much (beforehand) and the way it went down, it was good to win it in the end.”
Having been the clubhouse leader throughout the first three rounds, Oakley started the final round strongly and was six shots clear of Couch after nine holes before the conditions changed.
The wind lifted and the rain fell heavily, with Oakley’s lead changing in the space of two holes as Couch made a last ditch bid for victory.
“Couchy held his nerve but I went double bogey, double bogey,” Oakley said.
“He ended up shooting even around the back but I shot five over and the five over was in two holes.
“With four holes to go I was one shot up and Ash putted a couple off the green, they were both 15 footers while I kept making pars.
“He made some really good pars and then on the last hole he sunk an eight footer which left me with a four or five putt to win.”
Oakley managed to hold his nerve, sinking the putt to claim victory.
“It was a really good contest with Couchy,” he said.
“We had a really good rivalry but I enjoyed the contest as well at the same time.
“He had a really good back nine; he played some really good golf.”
Oakley said his championship form was “pretty consistent”, shooting 78, 74, 74 and 78 across the four rounds.
“The first round could have been low 70s but I didn’t hole any putts, then on Saturday they tucked away the pins, the greens were fast and you have that added pressure and the last round was a 78,” he said.
“But to drop five shots in only a couple of holes (on Saturday) and then manage to pull it back I thought that was a good effort.
“It was a really good test of my nerves.”
In the lower grades, Carl Horan won B grade ahead of runner-up Simon Patullock.
Horan finished with 348 shots, five clear of Patullock with David Absalom third on 355.
Brayden Crow overcame a slow start to the championships to claim a six shot victory in C grade.
He shot 101 in the first round but produced scores of 88, 90 and 91 to finish with 370 shots, six clear of Cliff Cobbledick.
James Green rounded out the victories, as he held off a familiar challenger to win D grade.
He finished three shots clear of father Laurie, with Simon Mahony a further three shots back in third.
Other championship results saw Jordan Beard claim the best junior score of 426 as well as the Walsh junior handicap of nett 289 while Crow won the A.E. George Handicap trophy.
Saturday results:
A grade: winner Garry Rix nett 72, runner-up Ash Couch nett 73; B grade: winner Simon Patullock nett 77, runner-up Carl Horan nett 78; C grade: winner Kevin Duffin nett 71; runner-up Jeff Mason on countback from Brayden Crow nett 72; D grade: winner Jordan Beard nett 75, runner-up Cooper Beard on countback from James Green nett 76.
Balls down the line: Dan Oakley, Jake Reed, Trevor Gardner, Ulbe Twynstra, Dane Reed, K Darcy, James Green, Laurie Green.
Nearest the pins: fourth hole – Dane Reed; seventh hole – Cooper Beard; 14th hole – Jarrod Schill.
Privilege pot – Kevin Duffin.
Medal of Medallists: Kevin Duffin.