Scott Arnold Wins 2012 Men’s while Joanna Klatten takes 2012 Women’s Vic Open
08/01/12
New South Wales professional Scott Arnold put in a polished last day performance to win the 2012 Men’s Victorian Open while Joanna Klatten survived one of the most amazing finishes in Australian golf history to take the Women’s Victorian Open after the final round played at the Spring Valley Golf Club on Sunday January 8th.
26-year-old Arnold fired a final round of 68 to finish at 12-under par for the Championship, including a miracle sand save from a plugged lie on the 18th hole to hold off Kurt Barnes by one stroke. The big hitting 2005 Vic Open Champion stormed home on the final day with a 66 to finish at 11-under.
After French woman Klatten closed with a five-under 68 to finish at eight-under, it then took an extraordinary holed 107-yard approach shot for an eagle on the final hole to tie for the Championship. After the first sudden-death play-off hole was halved in par fours, Klatten took the title with a par on the second extra hole.
The leading amateur for the 2012 Men’s Championship was Daniel Bringolf from New South Wales while 16-year-old Kingswood prodigy Su-hyun Oh took the amateur honours in the Women’s Open at three-under. Bringolf closed with a 68 to finish on 282 (two-under), four strokes clear of fellow New South Welshman Ben Clementson.
In the 52nd playing of the Men’s Victorian Open Championship, Scott Arnold becomes the 41st player to have won the title and joins past winners including Peter Thomson, Gary Player, Bruce Devlin, Guy Wolstenholme, Rodger Davis, Bob Shearer, Stewart Ginn, Ian Stanley, Mike Clayton, Greg Norman and Robert Allenby.
The Men’s Victorian Open Championship has a rich history linking back to the first Championship of Victoria played at Royal Melbourne in 1899. The first tournament named the Vic Open was held in 1957 at Riversdale Golf Club and was won by Ossie Pickworth. The tournament continues to provide a pinnacle event for Victorian golf, particularly in showcasing Australia’s emerging golf talent.
With this year’s re-introduction of the Women’s Victorian Open, the event has undoubtedly grown in stature. First played in 1988, Joanna Klatten becomes the sixth player to win the title and the first since Wendy Doolan from New South Wales last took the crown in 1992.
The 2012 Men’s and Women’s Victorian Opens were supported by the Victorian State Government through the Significant Sporting Events Program. As part of an ongoing series of grants awarded under the Events Program, the Victorian Open was granted $75,000 to help in the operation of the 2012 Championship.
The 2012 Men’s and Women’s Victorian Opens was also proudly supported by the City of Kingston with major corporate partners Schweppes, Tabcorp, Drummond Golf, Industrial Workforce and Trader Classified.