Qld state representatives Lewis Hoath (Emerald Lakes) and Zach Maxwell (Virginia) have performed a golfing Houdini act to win the 2019 Qld Men’s Foursomes Championship at Wynnum Golf Club.
Starting their 36-hole adventure on the short par 4 1st hole, Hoath hit their first drive out of bounds, leaving the team scrambling to make a bogey. Two more double bogeys in their opening 5 holes had the pair’s chances of a maiden Foursomes title looking forlorn.
However, an impressive ten birdies (and no bogeys) in the ensuing 31 holes had them remarkably run out three-shot victors.
Redcliffe brothers Richard and Michael Cook, along with perennial contenders Matt Pitty (Riverlakes) and Ben Stieler (Brookwater) led the way through the morning, posting 3 under par rounds of 67.
Despite a strong start in the afternoon, two-time champions Pitty and Stieler fell away dramatically – a triple bogey 8 on the 13th cruelling any opportunity of etching their names onto the trophy for a third time in 5 years, eventually settling for third place.
Sadly for the Cook brothers they couldn’t quite capture the magic of the initial 18 holes, as a 1 over 71 second round had them finishing runners-up on a 2 under total of 138.
The father and son combination of Colin and Justin McCormack (Gailes) proved too consistent as their rounds of 69 and 68 saw them emerge as 36-hole Nett winners, pipping Nudgee pair Mick Newell and Tyler West by 2 shots.
A scheduling clash restricted the women’s field to just seven pairs, however that didn’t dampen Tam Reid (Bribie Island) and Jo Malone’s (Peregian) celebrations as their rounds of 81 and 76 were rewarded with the 2019 Qld Women’s Foursomes Championship.
Reid and Malone have finished 4th in the last 2 years and were excited to finally finish atop the podium in 2019.
Playing partners Megan Bell (Riverlakes) and Rosita Van Kuilenburg (McLeod), who led the championship after the opening round, didn’t go home empty handed, claiming the Nett event on a 149 total.
The combined field of 138, after battling stifling conditions throughout the day, praised the condition of the Wynnum course. As with most of South East Queensland, the club has struggled during the dry weather of the past few months, with the rains of the past week providing welcome relief and a fresh green tinge.
Thanks must go to the club for hosting another successful tournament and players are looking forward to returning in 2020 to the “Home of Qld Foursomes”.
Please follow the link to the event page for all scores – https://bit.ly/2TvfeAV