The Golf NSW Men's Team have taken out the 2016 Australian Interstate Series with a hard fought 4.5 to 3.5 win over hosts Queensland in this afternoon's final at Brisbane Golf Club.
The eight man team didn't have it all their own way early on in the tight contest, however it was wins by the Australian Golf Club's pair of Kevin Yuan and Blake Windred of their Maroon opponents Steven Cox (3/2) and Charlie Dann (5/4) respectively that set the scene for a thrilling finish over the closing holes for the remaining matches.
The Vintage Golf Club's Dylan Perry fought hard against his opponent Douglas Klien, gamely taking his match to the 18th hole after being 2 down with 2 to play. Klein unfortunately posted a pair of bogeys to finish against a couple of pars from Perry, which meant that all of a sudden Perry had pulled off a miracle half point for his team.
Bonnie Doon's Austin Bautista showed the fighting spirit he is renown for to claw his way back into his match and take it to the 18th after being 3 down on the back nine. Bautista couldn't take advantage though, eventually losing the hole and the match 2 down.
Castle Hill's Daniel Gale and Avondale star Harrison Endycott were kept quiet by their opponents Mitchell Smith and Charles Pilon all afternoon with the Queenslanders managing to maintain healthy advantages of two and three hole leads as the matches drew to a close. Smith eventually defeated Gale 2/1 while Australian Amateur Medalist Pilon accounted for Endycott by the same score.
With the NSW Team only needing a 4-match-all result over their Northern rivals to take the title, it was left to Team Captain Travis Smyth playing in the penultimate number two spot and world number 21 Cameron Davis playing number one to ensure the result for the Blues.
Smyth started slow, dropping a hole behind early. By the 10th hole however, he had a comfortable 2 hole lead after a spectacular eagle – birdie run at the turn. Smyth had his opponent Blake Proverbs dormie by the 16th hole, but Proverbs made a clutch birdie to keep the game alive.
Smyth put the squeeze on his opponent on the 17th hitting his approach to about 3 metres. Proverbs couldn't make his putt and Smyth took the win 2/1.
Davis' battle was a see-saw affair with the lead never being more than one hole either way. Seemingly in control of the match, Davis took to making a grand stand finish to seal the deal for NSW with a spectacular birdie on the last to win his match against Anthony Quayle.
It has been four years in the making for NSW since the last win in 2012. The team of Travis Smyth, Austin Bautista, Blake Windred, Cameron Davis, Daniel Gale, Harrison Endycott, Dylan Perry and Kevin Yuan headed into the final undefeated 6-0.