To the stalwarts of Dubbo, it was a truly unbelievable round.
Jones Comerford was just hoping to defend his Dubbo Open crown last Saturday. 27 holes later the 18-year-old had the club officials diving for the record books to verify what they had just witnessed.
Not only did the Yr 12 high school student run away with the tournament by a massive 12 shots, but along the way, he recorded the largest winning record in the event’s history and also set a new course record of 9 under par 62 (holes one to 18) in doing so.
“It is one of the best performance I’ve ever seen,” former Club Captain Peter Ipkendanz said. ”Everyone was talking about it, even blokes like Robert Payne were saying ‘I don’t think Jones realised how good that round was.”
Comerford annihilated the field, carding nine birdies, two eagles and a pair of bogeys in the 27 hole jaunt. In a distant second place was another local, Matt Gleeson, while Mitch Bourne and Robert Payne finished a couple of shots further back at three over par.
He’s had a good couple of weeks. Just last Sunday, he was a member of the victorious Bonnie Doon team that lifted the 2017 Eric Apperly Shield, and earlier this year, made his first appearance for NSW in the Boys Australian Interstate Series.
For the next few weeks though, Comerford is knuckling down and getting into the books preparing for the Higher School Certificate which begins in a couple of weeks. After the exams, however, he is looking forward to chasing his dream of playing college Golf in the United States.
“He’s accepted an early invite to junior college (College of Canyons) in California beginning January,” Craig Mears, head professional at Dubbo Golf Club said.“ He’s had between 15-20 offers from Division One colleges and could head there in the future too.”