Fraser, Fox tie at Bairnsdale

Marcus Fraser and Daniel Fox have won the Big Garage Subaru Bairnsdale Pro-Am at Bairnsdale Golf Club with rounds of 6-under 65, securing Fox’s second win at Bairnsdale in the last five years.

Playing alongside the men’s group, Breanna Gill continued her good form and was the leading female professional once again with a round of 3-over 74 to take out the East Gippsland Shire Leading Female Professional award at the Big Garage Subaru Bairnsdale Womens Pro-Am.

Regarded as one of the top pro-ams in the region after winning Victorian Regional Pro-Am of the Year in 2017, fantastic conditions greeted players after a cool and misty morning.

Matthew Buff’s hot run of form at the Yarram Golf Club Pro-Am carried over at Bairnsdale as he took the morning lead with a round of 5-under 66.

Leading the afternoon group which also featured defending champion Rick Kulacz and Mr Consistent Matt Millar, Fraser opened with a birdie on the 1st hole before shooting seven straight pars to keep his score low.

A birdie on the 9th took him to the turn at 2-under par before following it up with another on the 10^th hole to move to 3-under par; two shots behind Buff.

An eagle on the downhill par-5 13^th hole levelled the score for Fraser, who was faced with having to birdie the last to break the deadlock with Buff.

He tapped in for a birdie to close out his round at 6-under 65, securing the lead.

“People talk about this course being one of the best in country Victoria, I believe it is one of the best country courses in the entire country,” said Fraser.

“It was great company today with Sue [Wood] and Darren [Robbie] and my old mate Rick [Kulacz], I thoroughly enjoyed it out there.”

Fox began his round on the 8^th hole with two straight pars before the roller coaster started. He bogeyed the 11^th before birdies on the 13^th and 14^th, and another on the 17^th.

Managing an eagle on the par-5 18^th, Fox moved to 3-under the card with seven holes still to play.

Reeling off birdies on the 1st, 3rd and 5th holes, Fox was able to draw level with Fraser at 6-under par with two holes still to play.

Fox shot two straight pars to finish the round, tying for the lead.

“It has been great to come out here and start my prep for the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia season ahead,” said Fox, who will tee it up at the upcoming ISPS HANDA Vic Open at 13^th Beach Golf Links on 7 February.

Rick Kulacz shot a new course record of 8-under 63 to win the Big Garage Subaru Pro-Am by two shots from Aaron Townsend at Bairnsdale Golf Club.

Strong fields in the Ladbrokes Pro-Am Series continued with Richard Green, Simon Hawkes, Marianne Skarpnord, Ash Hall and Daniel Fox all playing the one round event.

Former local Michael Light set the early pace with a 4-under 67 in the morning field. His round was a clean sheet with four birdies and no bogeys.

The only female Professional in the field Marianne Skarpnord played flawless golf. Four birdies and no bogeys to shoot a new ladies course record of 4-under 67.

Skarpnord has been a huge success for the Gippsland swing with great local support following her throughout the day where she signed autographs and interacted with the crowd.

“I love this course, it’s just so good,” said Skarpnord.

“If you’d played here before you could really take it on. If you knew the lines you could cut a lot of corners here.”

Aaron Townsend’s round started from the 10^th tee and got off to shaky start with a bogey on the 12^th. He then birdied the 13^th to get back to even. He had two further birdies on 15 and 18 to turn in 2-under.

He then birdied the 1^st and then birdied four in a row on 3, 4, 5, 6 to get his round to 7-under and the clear outright lead.

A strong drive down the 9^th but an errant approach that finished behind the green took birdie out of the question.

He couldn’t manage to get up and down for par and the bogey saw him finish on 6-under 65 to tie the previous course record set by Maffra’s David Bransdon.

Rick Kulacz’s round began in superb fashion. He eagled his first hole (the par-5 13^th) and followed it up with a birdie on the 14^th to go 3-under through 2.

He then birdied 17 and 18 to get to 5-under, one clear of Light and in pursuit of Townsend.

A costly bogey on the 1^st before three straight birdies on 3, 4 and 5 got him back 7-under, one clear of Townsend.

He birdied the 9^th to get to 8-under before finishing with three straight pars to close the round on 8-under 63 and set the new course record.

“I had an eagle and a birdie to opened with so a pretty nice way to start,” said Kulacz.

“I loved it, it reminded me a lot of the Sandbelt. Greens were rock hard which was really nice and it’s different to play on rock hard greens because we don’t normally get them throughout the pro-am series.

“You have to think about it a little more coming into these green, plus the fairways were immaculate.”

Headlines at a glance