Scrambling in the sunshine - Championship Final Day 2 review - PGA of Australia

Scrambling in the sunshine – Championship Final Day 2 review


A second consecutive round in the low fifties has secured the team from Coffs Harbour an equal share of the lead in the Women’s draw after round two of The Scramble Championship Final.

A nett 54.5 in hot conditions has them sitting pretty at 32-under par after two rounds, sharing the lead with Lakelands Golf Club, who fired a nett 55 on Wednesday morning.

Assistant PGA Professional at Coffs Harbour and team captain for the week, Brandon Connor is enjoying his time with the team and was loving the golf he saw from the girls on the Palms Course at Sanctuary Cove today.

“It was all good golf, but one particular highlight was Jana putting a three-wood on the green from 190m on the 17th hole,” said Connor. “It never deviated from the flag, nestled in close and we went on to make birdie.

“That was shot of the day and the sort of thing that opens it up for you as a team.”

Playing in his first Championship Final, Connor, who has been a PGA Professional since 2018, believes there is a good feeling in the camp for the team from Coffs.

“Everyone is really pumped. We came in here with a goal of top three, so to be on top of the leader board at this stage is really nice,” he said after the round. “I always thought we could do it, so it’s nice to see it come together.”

Pleased to have the chance to get out on the course and share the experience with club members, Connor is full of praise for the format and the opportunities it presents for all levels of golfer.

“It’s really good, the whole thing is very exciting,” explained Connor. “We don’t get the chance to do it much, so it’s great to have a hit with them – and to have a hit ourselves!”

Elsewhere in the Women’s field, Launceston Golf Club, led by PGA Professional Daniel Smith, equalled the best score of the day to make the cut. Their nett score of 54.5 included seven straight birdies to start, before a shaky patch through the middle saw them almost fall out of contention.

Thankfully, Smith was able to hole a lengthy birdie putt on the 17th to make sure of it.

“It was nice to see that one go in,” he laughed. “The girls played really well today and it feels like just rewards that they’ll be in contention tomorrow.”

On the Mixed side of the field, Ulverstone backed up their strong opening round with another good showing on Wednesday. Their nett score of 52.8 has them at 39.4-under par, more than two shots clear of Yamba Golf Club in second place.

A mighty effort, it included an unlikely birdie on the 17th as things just kept going right for the Tasmanians.

“We had got ourselves into a position where we needed to take a drive from the trees on the last,” said Head PGA Professional Darren Spencer. “Danny, our high handicapper pulled out driver off the deck, curled this thing around and ran it right up to twenty feet.

“When I say the gap he had was tiny, I mean it. It was the best birdie I’ve seen.”

That combined with an invaluable up-and-down save also late in the piece, kept Ulverstone ahead of the fast-finishing Yamba and Sarina Golf Clubs, who fired round of nett 52.9 and 51.7 respectively to earn a place in the top-three.

The team from Keysborough Golf Club put in the best round of the day, their nett score of 51.5 seeing them climb four places on the leader board, to sit in fourth place after the second round.

The Championship Final concludes tomorrow, with the top ten teams in the Mixed draw making the cut, and the top three in the Women’s field. Each of the teams who make the cut, will get the chance to play a par-3 with a Tour Pro on Thursday.

For a full list of teams that have made the cut, see below:

MIXED

Ulverstone Golf Club

Yamba Golf Club

Sarina Golf Club

Keysborough Golf Club

Pinjarra Golf Club

Cranbourne Golf Club

Brisbane River Golf Club

Shelly Beach Golf Club

Fairbairn Golf Club

Mudgee Golf Club

WOMEN’S

Coffs Harbour Golf Club

Lakelands Golf Club

Launceston Golf Club

Check out the full leader board HERE


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