Kono Matsumoto has added another two trophies to her impressive golfing resume with a dual win at the Metropolitan GC.
The sun shone bright this morning for the field of 62 women teeing it up in the Joan Fisher Plate, which incorporates the Victorian Women’s Champion of Champions title.
The Joan Fisher Plate was first played in 1989 and was initiated by Val Maine, the Metropolitan GC women’s captain (1986-88), in honour of Mrs Joan Fisher who joined the club in 1939 and was one of Australia’s prominent female golfers. The Victorian Champions of Champions Trophy was first contested in 1929 and invites club, district and state champions to come together and compete for the coveted title. In 2016 with the appreciated support of the Metropolitan GC, both longstanding events combined to create this hybrid women’s state championship.
Matsumoto carded a 2 under par 68 this morning, highlighted by a remarkable 4 under par back nine to head into lunch with a three-shot lead from Commonwealth’s Alexandra Hilliard. The current club champion at Victoria GC could not be chased down in the afternoon, matching her 68 on the lengthened Metropolitan course and fending off Jessica Pickwick from Kilmore by 9 strokes. Matsumoto finished on a 36-hole total of 4-under par 136 to claim both titles from Pickwick who took runner-up honours.
Kim Morris won the best 36-hole nett trophy in the Joan Fisher Plate. The Shepparton club champion posted a nett 149 off a handicap of 5 to win by a single shot from 2016 Champion of Champion and Cranbourne club champion Ashleigh Hall on nett 150. The Gwenda Anderson Trophy was awarded after the morning round to the best 18-hole nett score in the Champion of Champions field. Terang champion Marion Venn took out the silverware with a nett 70 off a handicap of 13.
Golf Victoria and Metropolitan Golf Club appreciate the support from all players and look forward to hosting again in 2018.
Click here for full results and photos.