Golf history on the double

Historic pennant breakthrough for Korumburra Golf Club

IT’S been almost 60 years in the making but when the Korumburra Golf Club finally broke through to take a Division One Pennant in the past week, they doubled up for good measure.

The club’s ladies set the historic victory rolling by taking their first Division One Pennant in 59 years last Monday, April 28 against Phillip Island at the Leongatha Golf Course 7-5 and the men followed up on Sunday, May 5, by taking out their first Division One Pennant in 58 years with a score of 5-2 against Woorayl at a superbly turned out Meeniyan Golf Club.

There was plenty of tension as the matches rolled through the greens closest to the Meeniyan clubhouse in front of a building public gallery. Korumburra’s Shayne Harland brought home the club’s first win after a “fabulous match” against Woorayl’s Pat Flynn during which the pair only halved three holes, going win for win on the others before Harland finished 1up on the 18th.

Korumburra’s Wayne Kennedy and Woorayl’s Terry Lund squared the 16th hole and went to the 17th with Wayne leading 2up before ultimately winning it 2&1.

Korumburra’s Gary Sosenko got out to a lead of four after 10 holes before Luke Gilliam mounted a fightback and produced a great up and down on the 16th to force Sosenko to make a tricky putt to protect his lead, winning 3&2 in the best result of the day.

Korumburra had three wins in the book, but Woorayl wasn’t done with, Trent Walters turning around a two-hole lead by young Billy Wrigley, to secure a 1up win on the 18th hole after a high-quality match.

Damien Symmons did likewise against Matt Wrigley, going to the 17th tee 2up and squaring the hole for win 2&1.

Michael Thomas of Woorayl and John Mills of Korumburra were the next to arrive at the 18th with Thomas needing to at least halve the hole to stay alive and keep Woorayl in the contest. Both players reach the edge of the green for two, Thomas over the back and facing a tough up and down with the green rolling away past a pin placed near the front.

He made a decent fist of the chip but had a difficult putt coming back.

Mills played a nice chip close and when Thomas’ putt didn’t drop, it was all over, Mills winning 2up and Korumburra had their first Division One pennant in almost 60 years.

The team captain and club champion Steve Bromby rounded out a 5-2 victory 2up after another close match against Marcus Luscombe.

Woorayl’s consultation prize, after getting teams to each of the three division finals, was wins against Leongatha 5/2 in Division Two and Welshpool in Division Three, with four wins, two halved matches and a loss.

Speaking at the trophy presentations afterwards, Korumburra’s captain Steve Bromby said Woorayl and Korumburra had played many great matches over the years, usually placed three and four on the ladder, but after almost 60 years he hoped their opposition wouldn’t begrudge them a win in the top division.

The representatives of all teams praised the Meeniyan Golf Club for the quality of the greens and the way they’d presented the course on the day.