McGovern masterful at Mountain Shadow

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Brendon McGovern (left) with Phil Davies
Brendon McGovern (left) with Phil Davies

PSC Golf from the Pattaya Links Golf Society

Monday, Feb. 26, Pattavia – Stableford

A Flight

1st Masa Tanako (8) 37pts

2nd Andy Kelleher (10) 36pts

3rd Niall Caven (19) 35pts

4th Soren Hansen (20) 33pts

B Flight

1st Billy Hill (30) 33pts

2nd Martin Hoblyn (25) 31pts

3rd Alan Walker (27) 30pts

4th Noel Junck (29) 28pts

The society visited Pattavia on Monday to play a stableford competition in two flights, with the division coming at a generous twenty.  The course was in fine condition and the greens were quick, making putting a tough task, as is often the case here.

Scores were on the low side and the top flight saw Soren Hansen take fourth place on count-back with 33 points, a couple behind Niall Caven in third on 35.  One point better was Andy Kelleher and a tight flight was topped by Masa Takano with an excellent 37 points, representing the day’s best gross of 79 and the only golfer to break par.

The second flight had lower scores with fourth place going to Noel Junck on 28 points and third to Alan Walker, making a welcome return to the podium with 30 points.  Runner-up was the consistent Martin Hoblyn, this time posting 31 points and leaving Scot Billy Hill as the winner with 33.

Near pins went to Masa Takano (4), Craig Harris (7), Andrew Roberts (13) and Richard Dobson (17)

Consolation best nines came from Thorsten Jodehl (front, 20pts) and Wayne Peppernell (back, 18pts).

Wednesday, Feb, 28, Silky Oak – Stableford

A Flight

1st Maurice Roberts (12) 40pts

2nd Pierre Cere (15) 38pts

3rd Tony Browne (17) 37pts

B Flight

1st Vic Barton (30) 39pts

2nd Phil Mitchell (21) 35pts

3rd Jayson Schembri (20) 35pts

On Wednesday we visited the golf folly at Silky Oak for a stableford competition.  Always a challenge with artificially raised greens and copious amounts of water, the course has always been just one ill-judged decision away from becoming bizarre.  Trust the management to have made that decision already with the repositioning of the fifteenth tee box to drive to a sloping fairway with water at 200 yards.  It leaves no choice for the average golfer but to lay up leaving a second shot of maybe 200 yards to a green fully twenty feet above the ball, over water and steeply sloping grass and sand bunkers.  Daunting stuff for the best golfers and a nightmare potentially for other mere golfers!

The field was divided into two flights with the cut coming at nineteen.  In the second flight third place went to Jayson Schembri with 35 points and second to Phil Mitchell on count-back, also scoring 35.  The flight winner was Vic Barton with 39 points.

In the top flight third place was taken by Tony Browne with 37 points, the runner up being Canadian golfer Pierre Cere with 38.  The flight winner and also green jacket recipient was Maurice Roberts with 40 points.

Near pins went to Phil Mitchell (3), John Chelo (6), Alan Walker (8), Tony Browne (14) and scratch golfer Brendan McGovern on hole 16.

Best nines by non-winners came from Adam Barton (front, 19pts) and greg Gawron (back, 21pts).

Friday, March 2, Mt. Shadow – Stableford

A Flight

1st Brendon McGovern (0) 34pts

2nd Jon Dean (12) 32pts

3rd Dave Edwards (11) 30pts

B Flight

1st Tony Browne (17) 32pts

2nd Barry Oats (26) 29pts

3rd Larry Gibbs (23) 29pts

The field of three dozen golfers found two flights today divided at fifteen and under and conditions made for low scoring yet again.  In the second flight Larry Gibb found himself in third place with 29 points, losing out on count-back to the veteran Barry Oats who took second.

The flight winner was again Tony Browne whose consistency seems never in doubt.  This time Tony recorded 32 points.

The top flight saw slightly better scores with Dave Edwards returning 30 points for third, a couple behind the runner-up Jon Dean on 32.  The winner was scratch golfer Brendan McGovern whose gross figures showed only two dropped shots to the track as he posted 34 points.  It was a quality performance indeed from a more than competent golfer.

Near pins went to Vic Wright (5), Masa Takano (8), Jon Dean (15) and Adam Barton (17)