Victorians Start Well at 2009 Interstate Teams Series

 

21/09/09

 

The Victorian State and Colts Teams started the 2009 Australian Interstate Teams Series in style with victories over New South Wales on Monday September 21st. 

The Victorian State Team defeated New South Wales by seven matches to four in a crucial opening day of the Interstate Teams Matches being played on the demanding South Course at the Peninsula Country Golf Club.

The team set the platform for the victory by taking a 2.5 to 1.5 match lead after the morning foursomes including a 7&5 win by Commonwealth club-mates Kieran Pratt and Craig Hasthorpe.

Beginning at the 11th, the afternoon singles were hard fought as New South Wales burst out of the blocks to try and get back into the contest. After nine holes, only Bryden Macpherson, Daniel Beckmann and Craig Hasthorpe held leads for Victoria against the New South Wales challenge.

Southern’s Rory Bourke came back from a four-hole deficit to go down on the final hole to the New South Wales No. 7 Adam Downton before Hasthorpe returned Victoria’s first afternoon win with a 3&2 victory over Paul Blake.

Further back on the course, the big hitting Victorian No. 5 Ashley Umbers had ground back into his match against Kyle Grant and after a birdie at the long par-five eighth secured a vital one-hole lead. After both players bogeyed the treacherous par-three ninth, Umbers safely made par on the 10th to win the match.

Despite a back nine fightback, No. 4 Kieran Pratt went down 2&1 to long hitting Lincoln Tighe who paradoxically sealed the win with a miracle par save from over the back of the ninth green.

With the Victorian team still needing results to get over the line, team captain Luke Bleumink stood up over the final nine, coming back from a three-hole deficit with eight to play to square his match with Michael Smyth.

The halved match proved vital as it put the Victorians within just one win of toppling its traditional Interstate rivals. Runner-up at this years Australian Amateur, Beckmann then sealed proceedings with a birdie on the final hole courtesy of a downhill 10-metre putt for a one-up win.

Australian Men’s Stroke Play Champion and local Peninsula member Macpherson then crowned Victoria’s memorable opening defence of the Interstate title with a two-up win over fellow National Squad member Brendan Smith.

While the opening win over New South Wales is the perfect start for the Victorian team, with Tasmania upsetting Queensland 6-5 and an improved South Australian line-up accounting for Western Australian 6.5 – 4.5, a tough week of high quality amateur golf still lies ahead. Victoria takes on Queensland in Tuesday’s second round.

At the 2009 Interstate Colts Teams Matches at Keysborough, the Victorian Colts Team recovered from a morning foursomes deficit to defeat the New South Wales Colts by four and a half matches to three and a half.

The morning foursomes saw Victoria trail by two matches to one with only the experienced team Captain Daniel Popovic and Andrew Kelly victorious.

After nine holes of the afternoon singles, Victoria’s hopes looked dashed with only Popovic holding a lead. However the team dug deep with debutants Kris Mueck and Lachlan Cain fighting back to both earn final hole wins.

After No. 3 Ben Weatherley went down on the final hole, Popovic ensured Victoria would at least halve the contest in accounting for New South Wales No. 2 Michael Williams 4&2.

Having trailed throughout his match against New South Wales No. 1 Brett Drewitt, Victoria’s Andrew Kelly was still one-hole down with one hole to play. Finding the green with his approach to the long par-four ninth, Kelly then produced the key putt of the day in draining the four metre birdie putt for a half and victory for the Victorian Colts.

As with the State Team, the Victorian Colts will face Queensland in Tuesday’s second round who will be fierce opponents after an opening 5.5 – 2.5 win over Tasmania.

For all scores from the 2009 Australian Interstate Teams Series, visit the Golf Australia Website at www.golfaustralia.com.au