On Monday Pat played in the Champion of Champions tournament at the Catalina Club. This event brings together all the junior club champions, regardless of age, from Golf Clubs all over NSW. The winning score for the day was a 3 under par 69 and Pat on a handicap of 16 was well off that pace but the event provided a great warm up for the State Age Championships to be played over the next four days.
Jack Newton in his Foreword to the event comments" this year a total of 310 players will vie for trophies and prizes to the value of $20000. Only the best in each age group across the state reach the final field of the Age Championships with over 2000 boys vying for a spot in this year's event. Just to make the field is wonderful achievement in itself and my congratulations go to each and every one of you."
The first round was held at the demanding Hilltop layout at Mollymook.The scores reflected the difficulty of the course and Pat's net 81 equaled that of the scratch marker in the field.
Wednesday play returned to the Catalina layout. Playing the back nine first saw Pat turn in a respectable 42 despite trouble on the last hole. A severe change in the weather hit on the second hole after the turn and Pat struggled with the strong gusty winds and his ability to keep his cool as all the hard work on the front nine was being eaten away. A great par on the last hole helped him to record a commendable net score of 74.
At this stage of the tournament the field was split in two with scratch scores below the cut figure of 174 going to Hilltop for the last two days to contest the Cup Division and the other half to play at Catalina to vie for the Plate Division.
Leading into the third day Pat was 4 shots behind the net leader and was hoping for a solid round on what is known as moving day in four day tournaments.
Playing the more difficult front nine first Pat turned in 44 but played some great golf on the back nine to record a 42 and post a net 70. This jumped him two shots clear in the net with one round to play.
Friday saw a huge frost covering the Catalina course but the familiar conditions didn't help Pat as he struggled to record 49 on his front nine. With the more difficult nine last for the run home Pat had to dig deep and with only two holes to play was only 4 over the card. His approach to the 71st hole appeared headed deep into the tree but a fortuitous bounce saw it finish on the green and he saved par. A bogey on the last hole resulted in a final nine of 41(his best for the week) and net score for the round of 74.
The other main contenders for the net had late morning tee times and far better conditions so it was a long wait in the clubhouse to see the final scores.
It appears Pat handled the final pressure best an in the and was 7 shots clear of his nearest rival, winning the 72 hole net for the plate Division, with a four round total of 299.
The best net in the Cup division was 300 so Pat could claim to be the best handicap Under 15 golfer in NSW.
In the lead up to this major tournament Pat was runner up in the Division 2 net at the Bermagui Junior Open and won the Division 2 Net at the Tathra junior Open.
On Sunday his great form continued when he won the B Grade at the Braidwood Open with a fine round of 82 net 66.
During the course of the week he has lost two shots off his handicap to now be on 14.
In coming weeks he has the possibility of being invited to play around at The Australian Golf Club in Sydney, the Catalina Junior Open and his final SERAS golf camp.
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