Date: June 21, 2017
Author: Mark Hayes

Toyne winds back the clock

Steve Toyne arrived at Coolangatta Tweed Heads this week swinging as well as he has in 40 years.
And it's showing.
The 59-year-old Queenslander powered into the final of the Australian Senior Match Play Championship today, dispatching favourite and top seed Greg Rhodes 4&3.
Toyne will meet another Victorian, Gordon Claney, in tomorrow's final after the latter ended the giant-killing run of David McClelland in the other semi, 3&2.
Neither finalist has dropped a match this week, so the stage is set for an epic finale, back on the River Course from 9am (AEST).
Toyne, a scratch handicapper at Indooroopilly in Brisbane, is making up for lost time at the senior level having made a successful debut in finishing fifth in 2015, but mixing up the dates last year and being away during the tournament.
"Yeah, I wasn't happy about that," Toyne said with a smile.
"But hopefully I can make up for that a bit tomorrow."
The African-born fifth seed three-putted for bogey on the ninth hole today, but otherwise was flawless, rolling in four birdies to deny Rhodes any chance.
"I played really solidly. I have all week and I've deserved to be where I am," Toyne said.
"If I can keep it going, it will be great. It's a good standard of golf among all the guys and I'd be really excited to win it.
"At the moment, I'm playing as good a golf as I have since I was a 19-year-old kid, so it's good timing.
"I've just told myself to keep my head down, swing the club and let it happen and that's what has happened all week."
Toyne said he had great respect for defending champion Claney's game.
"He's a really solid player and absolutely he's a great challenge," Toyne said.
"But I can't do any thing but play my own game and be patient. That's all I've been saying to myself all week, just be patient.
"One more time."

Steve Toyne arrived at Coolangatta Tweed Heads this week swinging as well as he has in 40 years.

And it's showing.

The 59-year-old Queenslander powered into the final of the Australian Senior Match Play Championship today, dispatching favourite and top seed Greg Rhodes 4&3.

Toyne will meet another Victorian, Gordon Claney, in tomorrow's final after the latter ended the giant-killing run of David McClelland in the other semi, 3&2.

Neither finalist has dropped a match this week, so the stage is set for an epic finale, back on the River Course from 9am (AEST).

Toyne, a scratch handicapper at Indooroopilly in Brisbane, is making up for lost time at the senior level having made a successful debut in finishing fifth in 2015, but mixing up the dates last year and being away during the tournament.

"Yeah, I wasn't happy about that," Toyne said with a smile.

"But hopefully I can make up for that a bit tomorrow."

The African-born fifth seed three-putted for bogey on the ninth hole today, but otherwise was flawless, rolling in four birdies to deny Rhodes any chance.

"I played really solidly. I have all week and I've deserved to be where I am," Toyne said.

"If I can keep it going, it will be great. It's a good standard of golf among all the guys and I'd be really excited to win it.

"At the moment, I'm playing as good a golf as I have since I was a 19-year-old kid, so it's good timing.

"I've just told myself to keep my head down, swing the club and let it happen and that's what has happened all week."

Toyne said he had great respect for defending champion Claney's game.

"He's a really solid player and absolutely he's a great challenge," Toyne said.

"But I can't do any thing but play my own game and be patient. That's all I've been saying to myself all week, just be patient.

"One more time."