The 2009 Shootout...........

The Shirley Links Golf Shop sponsored Shootout Final took place on Sunday 8 November with 19 golfers waiting expectantly on the tee. Last week I said prepare for a 6 hour round but that was optimistic in the extreme as it was over seven hours before we finally had a winner after a closely contested match.

It was disclosed to me that during the week prior there was considerable banter between golfing buddies Grant Adamson and Michael Ambrose as to who may fold under the pressure earliest. Unfortunately it was Grant who had difficulty with the rough on the first and went out only to be closely followed by Michael at the second after difficulties with the sand - not quite what they had planned.

Players to bow out in order were Peter Law (3), Ray Vivian (4), David Young (5), Clifford Chan (6), Ross Campbell (7), Philip Hong (8), & David Youn (9). The highest handicapper in the field Mike Stenhouse on 23 ran into trouble with the tussocks on 10 and never really got back into the hole on 10. Raymond Liong had been playing well with some huge drives off the tee but unfortunately he visited the sand which he didn't seem to want to leave on 11 to go out after Niven Boyle sunk an important 6 ft breaking putt for a 5 after being in the trees short right.

Returning back over the road David Kerr, with his father Michael on the bag, had been solid in all the early holes but was caught out on 12 when it looked as though there may be a major shootout when he could not make his putt to stay in the game. The absence of a shot on the difficult 13 put an end to the run of Tony Park who had been well supported in the "book". Niven Boyle will undoubtedly have nightmares about 13 which was hole where he went out last year and again this year especially after such a massive drive way down over the hill and past the gums on the left.

The group was now down to 5 with 4 having a shot on 15 and Jin Ho Neoh having 2. A drive slightly right put David Wallace deep in the "cabbage" from which at least initially he was unable to extract himself with a rescue wood and he was subsequently eliminated. Going down 16 it was only Jin Ho who had a shot and even an effective 4 putt saw him safely through as was Peter Hollister with a bogey. Making double were Alan Scott and Brian Tyro and they moved to a shoot out - with Brian putting his closer meaning Scotty went out - perhaps the beer wasn't the best idea!

Nerves were beginning to be stretched and Peter Hollister's drive ended on top of the right hand bunkers with a difficult recovery shot, having played out he then missed the green left into the heavy rough and he struggled from then on to be the penultimate player eliminated. Moving to the 18 tee were Brian Tyro & Jin Ho Neoh, the advantage lay slightly in Ho's favour given he had a shot up his sleeve.

It would be an understatement to say a drama then unfolded; both players hit wayward drives, Brian right and Ho left. Neither player had a shot to the green and both had to chip out in Ho's case backwards and then sideways. Raising to the occasion Ho put his 4 on the green, pin high but well to to the left. Unfortunately Brian's chip had travelled through the fairway and had drawn a bare lie in the left rough and he was unable to make the green with his third. However Brian then played a superb chip to leave himself with an uphill putt for 5 . Ho calmly played a lag to have a tap in for 6 nett 5 meaning Brian needed to sink his to move to a shoot out. Although Brian hit a good putt it slipped past the hole on the left to mean the Shootout title for 2009 was claimed by Jin Ho Neoh.

Thanks to all those who helped make the day a great success - Trig, Dennis Doherty and Rod O'Brien for their work on the greens, Struan for keeping the score, and Amanda & Andrew Vincent for sending out supplies with Mitchell and Liam when they were desperately needed!!