DENIS DALE WINS 2009 SOUTH AUSTRALIAN
SENIORS AT MT GAMBIER
ALL THE FINAL SCORES - CLICK THE RESULTS BUTTON ABOVE
Final Round Report:
NSW senior golfer Denis Dale has narrowly defeated the 36 hole leader Chris Coats (Queensland) to win the 2009 South Australian Senior Championship. On another testing day with strong winds, cool weather and a tougher course setup the two long time friends battled it out with Dale eventually winning by a single stroke.
Coats held a one stroke lead from Dale with three more to Morrison when the the final group hit off. There were a few strokes or more to the other seniors and it did look likely that the winner would come from the final group.
On the first hole Coats found trouble and was forced to take an unplayable lie penalty. The top pair were now tied but when Coats hit every green for the rest of the nine and Dale three putted on two occasions Coats had a 2 stroke lead with the second nine remaining. Playing some beautiful golf Morrison had narrowed the gap and was only a stroke behind Dale.
The second nine saw the consistently good play continue until Coats bogied 12 and 13 allowing Dale to draw level. A great bunker recovery and a 4 metre putt on 14 gave Coats the lead again. It was a tense day!
The turning point came on the par 5 fifteenth. Coats went left and found trouble as did Morrison with both players having to chip out and eventually bogeying the hole. Dale wedged to very close and holed the downhill putt to claim the lead for the first time. When he parred 16 and the difficult 17th he had a 3 stroke lead.
Both players found the green in regulation on 18 and although Coats holed a long birdie putt Dale still had 3 putts to win (which he needed). Morrison finally holed a putt and his last round 77 gave him outright third place and his best performance in an Australian Senior ranking event.
Queenslander Peter King continued good recent form and a good closing round of 75 gave him fourth place a stroke in front of Stefan Albinksi who saved his best round to last with a fine 74.
Top 10:
1 224 Dale Denis NSW 72 - 76 - 76 Asquith
2 225 Coats Chris QLD 70 - 77 - 78 Royal Queensland
3 228 Morrison Dave QLD 75 - 76 - 77 Coolangatta
4 229 King Peter QLD 75 - 79 - 75 Windaroo
5 230 Albinski Stefan NSW 77 - 79 - 74 Mona Vale
6 233 Walker Ray VIC 79 - 79 - 75 Chirnside Park
7 234 Beaumont John SA 78 - 81 - 75 Mt Gambier
8 235 Giles Pat VIC 78 - 80 - 77 Coonawarra
8 235 Percy Ross VIC 75 - 78 - 82 Cobram Barooga
10 236 Aigner Wayne VIC 82 - 79 - 75 Sandhurst
10 236 Bowen Graham WA 80 - 77 - 79 Mandurah
10 236 Stephens John NSW 75 - 82 - 79 Mollymock
The event was a great success and the host club had made sure all the visitors were well looked after. The course was a fair test for all, beautifully presented and in the difficult conditions on the last two days the scoring was pleasing. A return to Mt Gambier in the future would be welcomed.
Round Two Report:
What a difference a day makes - very strong winds and rain squalls making the course a very different test of golf. Holes that were 9 irons were now 4 irons and keeping warm and dry was also important.
Round one leader Chris Coats kept his lead with a solid score of 77. He now leads Denis Dale by a single stroke after Dale had the day's equal best round of 76.
Third place belongs to Queenslander "Big Dave" Morrison who matched Dales's score of 76. This trio will be in the final group tomorrow.
Ross Percy showed he has lost none of his good play whilst in the US watching son Cameron make it to the main US PGA Tour in 2010. His score of 78 gives him a total of 153 and outright fourth place. A stroke behind on 155 are South Australia's favourite senior Tony Mazzone who has carded a pair of 77s and Queenslander Peter King with scores of 75-79.
Tournament favourite Stefan Albinski could not find his best form and his scores of 77-79 see him 9 shots from the lead - a lot to make up. Third placed overnight Queenslander Grahame MacDonald slipped down the leaderboard with a round of 84 that now places him out of the top ten. Watch for some hot scores from this duo tomorrow.
A highlight of the day was supplied by Ray Walker. In round one he managed an 8 on the par 5 14th. Today he holed a wedge for an eagle 3! He was so surprised he double bogied the next hole! Of course all the players and supporters joined in a series of sweeps and had fun watching the Melbourne Cup together.
Top 10:
1 147 Coats Chris QLD 70 - 77
2 148 Dale Denis NSW 72 - 76
3 151 Morrison Dave QLD 75 - 76
4 153 Percy Ross VIC 75 - 78
5 154 Mazzone Tony SA 77 - 77
5 154 King Peter QLD 75 - 79
7 155 Jackson Michael VIC 77 - 78
8 157 Albinski Stefan NSW 77 - 79
9 156 Bowen Graham WA 80 - 77
9 157 Hallam Colin QLD 80 - 77
9 157 Stephens John NSW 75 - 82
Round One Report:
A gentle breeze was there to start the 2009 South Australian Seniors Championship being played at Mount Gambier Golf Club. The breeze then strengthened during the round and at times was quite strong. The course was very well presented with some of the tees just a little forward (bringing all the bunkers in play). Overall an excellent venue for the state senior championship.
Queensland senior Chris Coats continued his excellent recent form with a great round of one under par 70 to lead after the first eighteen. After his high finish at the Victorian Seniors last week where he led after 36 holes he was pleased to hold another round one lead. He leads by 2 from Denis Dale (NSW) who had a good round of 72 and is alone in second place and two shots clear of third placed Grahame MacDonald. Another Queenslander, MacDonald is alone in third place after his round of 74.
Sharing fourth after solid rounds of 75 are Peter King, Dave Morrison, Ross Percy and John Stephens. Tournament favourite Stefan Albinski slipped with an opening round of 77 but he has come from behind before and is still the player to watch.
Top 10
1 70 Coats Chris QLD
2 72 Dale Denis NSW
3 74 MacDonald Grahame QLD
4 75 King Peter QLD, Morrison Dave QLD, Percy Ross VIC, Stephens John NSW
8 77 Waters Peter SA
9 77 Albinski Stefan NSW, Chidlow Cliff QLD, bsp; Jackson Michael VIC
