Kim Burke is still her bubbly self despite a narrow defeat at the hands of Western Australia’s Sharon Dawson in the matchplay final of the Australian Seniors Womens Amateur at Gosnells Golf Club today.
“I never worry,” says Burke. “It’s Matchplay, you win some – you lose some.”
“Its just fantastic to compete,” she says.
Burke from Magenta Shores and Shelley Beach on the Central Coast of NSW and eventual winner Dawson had just battled out a high quality matchplay final that almost reached the 18th hole. Burke eventually losing 2 and 1.
“It was really exciting golf, we both played really well, I was probably only a couple over par when we finished.”
“Sharon is a great ball striker, she deserved to win.”
Matchplay is a game where on any particular day anyone can win. Holes can be won by a fortunate bounce that goes your way, and at other times lost from simple errors that come from nowhere.
Burke got caught out by one or two today.
“I missed a short birdie putt on the 7th.. then on the 8th I had to take a penalty for a moving ball.”
“I had to call the penalty on myself,” she says.
Burke was two-down after nine holes, and left with some work to do. Her opponent Watson however, gave her no chances.
“I got her back to one-down on the back nine,” says Burke. “ But she was just too good, and she finished the job.”
Losing only 2 and 1 in a tense final of a national championship would drain plenty of others. For Burke however, her upbeat attitude still shines through.
“It was a great week really,” she says. “There were so many plusses for Golf NSW.”
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And plenty of positives were there. In the flight division, Nikki Haines of Moore Park won her matchplay final. While Jacqui Morgan of Monash Country Club, after taking out medalist honours only a few days before the matchplay began, took out the Women's Senior Order of Merit for 2015.
The New South Wales ladies won the teams event by a whopping 19 shots for good measure.
Despite her matchplay defeat, Burke is enthusiastic about the future. A trip is being planned to contest the Women’s Senior New Zealand Matchplay Championship in late February 2016. A Championship she’ll be ready for with her experience, as well as access to Golf NSW Technical Staff in her role as a Junior Interstate Team Manager.
“Dean Kinney, Denise Hutton, Khan Pullen, and Matt Green.. I’ve learnt a lot from them and how they coach the juniors," she says…"Oh, and my coach at Newcastle Golf Club Jason Laws.”
“I’ve become a much better player being involved with all of them.”