Glenelg has won the 2017 Simpson Cup after defeating Kooyonga 5-2 in a final played in cool, but pleasant conditions at Royal Adelaide.
The contest was tight early with four matches square thru seven holes and both sides giving their all to claim the time-honoured Cup.
After nine holes, Glenelg edged ahead 4-3 leading in matches one, two, three and with Ben Layton 3up on Joel Durnford in the number five match.
Kooyonga were right in the contest though, ahead in three and trailing only 1 down in two matches.
In the blink of an eye, Glenelg banked two matches, with Sam Burton at number three defeating Will Somerfield 5&4 and Ben Layton closing out his match with Durnford 4&3.
Young gun Kyle Hayter, secured Kooyonga’s first match, defeating Anthony Olsen 3&2. Hayter’s win was all the more impressive considering Olsen had been unbeaten in his past 22 matches.
When Michael Munn secured Glenelg’s third match winning 1up in a hard fought contest against Tim Baker, Glenelg had the ascendency and need one more for the win.
Kooyonga weren’t going to lay down however, with Daniel Speirs defeating Josh Hayes 2&1 to bring back the margin to 3-2 with two match still in play.
When Joe Hodgson made a huge up and down to keep his match going with Sam Earl, with two to play, things were starting to tighten, but when Glenelg number one, Lachlan Barker hit an exquisite approach to the par 5 second, to be on in two and Heath Riches went over the back for three, Glenelg were two putts away from victory.
Riches made par, but after Barker left his eagle putt only two foot short, he duly rolled in his birdie putt to win the Simpson Cup for Glenelg. A fitting conclusion, considering Barker missed last season’s premiership due to overseas playing commitments.
Glenelg Captain and Team of the Year Captain, Anthony Olsen, was delighted with how his team performed in the final.
“A great result to back it up from last year, says a lot about the character of the boys, winning one is very different to having to back it up as favourites and being the hunted, so really proud of quite a young team this year”. Olsen said.
The win is Glenelg’s 11th Simpson Cup.