Round 3: Andrew Kane wins the 2013 Men’s Par 3 Championship
An icy morning eventually gave way to bright blue skies and fabulous sunshine for the final round of the 2013 Men’s Par 3 Championship. Players that took to the course today could not have asked for better conditions in chase for this year’s title.
Scoring was once again indicative the challenging layout, as many came to appreciate the daunting nature of the small, upside-down saucer like greens.
Round one joint leader, Andrew Kane, was able to capitalize on his solid start of 57 and 59 yesterday, coming in with a sound 57 this morning to take the title by a slender two strokes and have his name engraved on the trophy for the second time.
Hailing from Barham, the +1 marker is still recovering from a serious leg injury sustained in a car accident while returning from Country Week last October. Kane endured the difficult course design and pressure packed final grouping to reaffirm his status as one of Victoria’s leading country golfers.
Kane opened with a par on the first hole before struggling with three straight bogies on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th and another on the 8th to turn in 31. Meanwhile his fellow competitor and 36-hole joint leader, Zach Murray (Commonwealth), was steady in his outward nine and found himself two shots clear of Kane at the halfway mark.
Murray dropped shots at 12 and 13, while Kane managed a birdie at the long 194 metre 13th hole to leap frog the Commonwealth member and lead by one. A stellar chip in birdie on the 16th hole all but confirmed victory for Kane after Murray walked off the same green green with a double bogie 5.
Murray closed with a respectable 58 this morning to only be notched out of second place on a count back by Royal Melbourne’s Darcy Brereton. Brereton returned a three-over 57 to finish with a 54-hole total of 175.
Terry Vogel from Cobram-Barooga was next best in outright fourth on 156. Also notable was Brett Coletta (Sandhurst) with 178 and Michael Burgess (Commonwealth) on 179.
Mooroopna’s Jamie Scapin (H’cap 7) was victorious in the A-Grade nett section following rounds of 57, 53 and 53 to tally 163 nett, a massive nine shots in front of his nearest competitor Justin Ryan (Quarry Hill).
In the B-Grade section, Ralph Richards from Gisborne took home the gross honours ahead of Steve Piddington (Corowa) after closing with 57 today to finish the tournament on 132. Richards was a last minute alternate into the Championship after late withdrawals.
Overnight frontrunner, Paul McInnes (Kyabram Parkland) edged out Kyabram compatriot Nathan Richards to claim victory in the B-Grade nett component after 55 today, finishing the tournament a stellar six strokes under his 15 handicap. Richards claimed runner up position on a count back from Terry Bryan (Eastern Sward) and Des Stone (Wangaratta).
Golf Victoria would like to congratulate the 250 competitors that competed over the two Championships and would also like to extend sincere thanks to the Kyabram Parkland Golf Club and their volunteers for the wonderful assistance over the past week.
Round 1 & 2: Murray and Kane lead the Men’s Par 3
Following on from the Women’s Championship earlier this week, the 2013 Men’s Par 3 Championship commenced today at Kyabram Parkland Golf Club. Like the Women’s just two days prior, the Men’s tournament has also attracted a capacity field, including a strong contingent of Victoria’s finest golfers.
Today the field was presented with a frosty morning that eventually lifted to reveal the most perfect winters day.
Players enjoyed the calm scoring conditions today and after the opening two rounds, both Andrew Kane (Barham) and Zach Murray (Commonwealth) find themselves poised at the top of the leader board on a 36-hole total of 116.
Kane, a former winner of the Championship, was relatively steady in his play over the course of the day returning rounds of 57 and 59. Murray, who won the Tamar Valley Junior Cup early this year, carded an opening round of 59 before stabilizing in the afternoon and firing a three-over 57 to find himself in the final group come tomorrow morning.
The joint leaders will be accompanied by David Cartwright (Kyabram Parkland), Brett Coletta (Sandhurst) and Cobram-Barooga’s Terry Vogel, all placed one stroke adrift on 117.
Leading after this morning’s round with 56, Kyabram local Glenn Cartwright carded a second round 65 to sit tied 10th and five strokes behind the Kane and Murray.
Defending champion Nathan Schneider is eight strokes arrears and will need to have a stellar final round to have any chance of making it three-in-a-row.
Kyabram Parkland’s Paul McInnes (H’cap 15), currently heads the nett sector of the tournament with an impressive seven-under 47 nett this afternoon to complement his opening round of 54. Trailing just one shot behind is Terry Bryan (Eastern Sward), Cooper Gentle (Kyabram Parkland) and Des Stone (Wangaratta).
Undoubtedly those in the hunt will be eager to apply pressure on the leaders when the final round commences at 9:00am tomorrow morning.
Click here for Final Round Draw and Todays Results