The Heathcote Golf Club hosted it annual Senior Amateur tournament today with a record breaking 73 players taking to the course. Heathcote is the first of three events this week, with Shepparton and Tocumwal also hosting Senior tournaments in the coming days.
The course was playing its true length this morning after heavy downpours in the region last week. Luckily the players had a relatively calm day with the sun making an appearance on more than one occasion.
Ray Walker prevailed as the 2014 title holder after the Chirnside Park member returned a tournament record 72 around the par 71 layout. Walker cruised around his opening nine with more than respectable two over par 36 before shifting into overdrive to come home with a brilliant one under 34. Walker is no stranger to the podium with wins at Bright and Box Hill earlier in the year. In second place and two shots behind Walker was Yarra Yarra’s Guy Krall on 74.
2013 Victorian Women’s Sand Greens Champion Helen Pascoe scored a fine 78 to triumph in the women’s scratch component, edging out the recent Gippsland Senior Amateur Champion in Heather Harley by a comfortable 9 shots.
In the men’s handicap section, it was Trafalgar’s John Hoare that proved too strong for the balance of the field with a great round of 68 from a handicap of 15. This is Hoare’s second win for the year with the first coming at the prestigious National Senior Masters back in April. Heathcote’s very own Carol Stuart took home the honours in the women’s nett section after the 18 marker signed for 78.
Many of today’s competitors will make the short trek to Shepparton in the Goulburn Valley when the opening round of the 2014 Shepparton Senior Amateur commences at 11:00am.
Click here for final results.