BRIAN SAMS WINS THE 2010 NSW SENIORS CHAMPIONSHIP
AT PORT MACQUARIE GOLF CLUB

CLICK THE 2010 RESULTS BUTTON FOR ALL THE FINAL SCORES


Round Three Report:

Tournament favourite Brian Sams has won the 2010 NSW Senior Amateur Championship played at The Port Macquarie Golf Club. A long time member at Port Macquarie Sams played very consistent golf with rounds of 73, 70 and 75 for a 54 hole total of 218 (5 over par). It is never easy to win on your home course and in achieving success Sams claimed his second NSW title having also won in 2005.

Brian Sams has been the best or close to the best senior golfer in Australia for the past five or six years and he still maintains his great enthusiasm for the game of golf. A consistent practiser and one who is always looking for a way to improve his game he is a deserved winner of the NSW Senior Championship. The only trophy missing from his collection is an Australian Senior Championship and he is sure to be thereabouts in the final round at Royal Canberra next month.

The expected challenges from defending Champion Bill Banks and last week's Tasmanian Seniors winner Stefan Albinski did not occur. It was Tura Beach's Russell Rogers (74-75-73) who continued his very good form over recent months to finish in second place 4 strokes behind on 222 after an excellent final round of 73. Rogers will be hard to beat in next year's event at Bermagui, where this time it is he who will be considered the "local". Already Rogers has been given the tag of "tournament favourite" for the 2011 NSW Seniors.

Third place was shared by previous Australian Senior Champion Rick Oliver (79-71-73) and fellow NSW player Roy Vandersluis (77-74-72) who has now finished in the top 5 in his last three Australian Senior Ranking events. Oliver is a class player and after a break from the senior circuit he is planning to return as often as he can this year. It would be great to see these two top line players competing in more events during the 2010 senior season.

Noel Wood (74-75-75) made up the top five with another very consistent performance to match his fourth place result in 2009. Wood is another who may be playing in more senior events and he will be a definite threat in the Australian Seniors Championship next month when it is played at Royal Canberra. Wood finished a single stroke ahead of the leading Victorian Alan Bullas (78-75-74). It is hard to remember the last time Bullas failed to return a good score and his regular high placings now see him in sixth place on the Australian Senior Ranking table. Watch out for him as well at Royal Canberra.

Tying for seventh place was a group of four seniors that included Australia's top ranked player Stefan Albinksi (75-74-77) who was a little disappointing with his closing round of 77. Queenslander Peter King (74-76-76) continued his recent run of high placings and he has now moved into fourth place in the Australian rankings and is certainly a leading chance in every event he plays in. Fellow Queenslander Graham MacDonald (78-71-77) again performed well and recorded yet another top ten result. Making up the group tied for seventh was another Queenslander Ian Read (77-75-74) and his top ten placing maintains his position on top of the 65+ senior ranking table.

Outside the top ten there were the usual stories of missed putts and unlucky bounces. There were several notable performances. Cliff Chidlow had his best result in a major event with rounds of 76-76-75 and eleventh place. This result was matched by newcomers Terry Jones (75-75-77) and Dave Limbach (78-77-72). Veteran senior ranking event performers Bill Banks (74-76-77) and Denis Dale (81-73-73) also tied for eleventh place.

Tony Mazzone (78-73-77) had a good tournament and now holds second place in the 65+ table. Northern NSW player and regular competitor Peter Moyle (82-77-72) had a lot to be happy about with his great closing round of 72. Geoff Lumsden (73-80-79) started well but faded a little although he has now moved onto the 65+ table. He is sure to climb up this table as he plays in more events in coming months. Bathurst senior Don O'Malley was impressive in taking out the Over 70 competition with rounds of 85-78 and an excellent final round of 75.

The annual Walking Stick trophy saw a comfortable victory for the strong NSW team. They defeated the Queenslanders by 21 strokes with a composite team from South Australia, Western Australia and the ACT finishing third just ahead of Victoria.

Brian Sams praised the condition of the Port Macquarie course particularly commenting on how well the course was presented after the heavy rain early in the week. It was a very successful tournament in the Port Macquarie club's centenary year.

Round Two Report:

Local member and tournament favourite Brian Sams has taken over the outright lead after the second round of the 2010 NSW Senior Amateur Championship being played at The Port Macquarie Golf Club. Sams followed his opening round of 73 with a one under par score of 70 and now leads by four. He will be very hard to catch!

Second place belongs to Peter Richardson (NSW) who recorded a 72 to go with his opening round of 75. From the North Ryde club Richardson will play in the final group tomorrow with Sams alongside the very experienced seniors Stefan Albinksi (75-74) and Graham MacDonald (78-71). It would be very surprising if someone outside this group took the title.

The interstate teams event, the "Walking Stick", is also being played in conjunction with the NSW Seniors Championship and after two rounds the NSW team has a comfortable lead over Queensland.

Leading Round Two Scores:
143 Brian Sams 73 70
147 Peter Richardson 75 72
149 Stefan Albinski 75 74, Grahame Macdonald 78 71
      Russell Rogers 74 75, Noel Wood 74 75
150 Bill Banks 74 76, Terry Jones 75 75, Peter King 74 76
      Rick Oliver 79 71

NSWGA Round Two Report:

Players have seen the sun for the first time in several days at Port Macquarie today. This morning's best round was from Coolangatta-Tweed's Steve Taylor who shot a great round of one over 72 (65 nett). Unfortunately Pennant Hills' Geoff Lumsden was unable to repeat his form of yesterday and has come back to the field after an 80.

Port Macquarie local Brian Sams again shot the day's best round, this time a 1 under par 70 to go with yesterday's round of 73. Sams leads the field by 4 strokes going into the last round. In second place is North Ryde's Peter Richardson with rounds of 75 and 72, and a stroke further back are four players: Stefan Albinski (Mona Vale), Grahame Macdonald (Nudgee GC, QLD), Russell Rogers (Tura Beach) and Noel Wood (Antill Park). Defending Champion Bill Banks (Royal Canberra) is a further stroke back.

In the Interstate Teams Event (Walking Stick Trophy), NSW leads on 743 ahead of Queensland (754), SA/ACT/WA (768) and Victoria (773).

Round One Report:

Pennant Hills player Geoff Lumsden has joined local member and tournament favourite Brian Sams as the round one leaders in the 2010 NSW Senior Amateur Championship being played at The Port Macquarie Golf Club. Both players recorded a 2 over par 73.

Leading is not unexpected for Sams but for Lumsden this is a new experience and continues recent excellent form in NSW events. Following very heavy rain on Monday the Port Macquarie course was in surprisingly good condition. There were a few rain periods for the morning players but overall conditions were very fair.

One shot behind Sams is a group of six players - defending champion Bill Banks, Gary Cush, Alan Evans, Peter King, Russell Rogers and Noel Wood. There is a another group on 75 and this includes the prolific senior event winner Stefan Albinski.

Leading Round One Scores:
73 Geoff Lumsden, Brian Sams
74 Bill Banks, Gary Cush, Alan Evans, Peter King, Russell Rogers
      Noel Wood
75 Stefan Albinski, Donald Box, Clark Gibbons, Terry Jones
      Peter Richardson

NSWGA Round One Report:

Rain Threatens as Local Leads Field
The 2010 NSW Senior Championship field were blessed as the rain stayed away from Port Macquarie and remained just north of Coffs Harbour for the first days play. As the last group walked from the 18th green the heavens opened yet again. The golf course was in surprisingly good condition given the rains of yesterday.

Local member Brian Sams leads the field after a morning round of two over par 73. He holds this lead with Pennant Hills member Geoff Lumsden. Lumsden got off to a great start with birdies at the 1st and 3rd holes.

One stroke behind are 6 players, including defending Champion ACT's Bill Banks. Tasmanian Open Champion Stefan Albinksi is a further stroke back at 4 over par.

In the Interstate "Walking Stick Trophy" NSW leads on 376, with Queensland on 380, Combined ACT, SA and ACT on 388 and Victoria on 389. This event see the best 5 scores from a team of 7 counting towards the team total each day. The NSW team is defending the title they won in Queensland last year.