GALLERY

Nudgee Golf Club

Greg Corben storms home to win the 55 year section of the 2010 Queensland Senior Open at Nudgee Golf Club

CLICK THE 2010 RESULTS BUTTON FOR ALL FINAL SCORES

Scores combining all the amateurs and professionals can be found on the Golf Queensland Web Site - Queensland Senior Open Results.

Round Three Report:

The winner of the 55 years and over section was the defending champion Greg Corben who "came from the clouds" with a fantastic last round score of two under par 69.

Corben (76-74-69=219) had trailed the leaders Grahame MacDonald and Tony Gover by five strokes entering the last round. Gover eventually finished second (74-71-76=221) with MacDonald third (76-69-77=222).

The overall winner of the Senior Open was legendary professional Rodger Davis who recorded three rounds of 70. He edged out Garry Merrick by a single stroke. The leading amateur overall was Nudgee member Shane Ryan (73-70-75=218)
Greg Corben had the honour of finishing with the best final round of the day, including the very strong senior professional field. Well done Greg!

From the Golf Queensland Web Site:

Perennial Rodger Davis (Qld) played "one of the greatest shots of his career" to birdie the final hole of the day and claim an unparalleled third Qld Senior Open at Nudgee Golf Club. With his drive bunkered on the left hand side of the fairway and his approach to the elevated 18th green obscured by an overhanging Moreton Bay Fig, Davis crisply struck his second to within six inches, leaving the expectant gallery in rapturous praise.

In a slow start to the day overnight leader Craig Owen (NZ) drop three shots in the opening holes, succumbing to the blustery conditions. However the winds also affected his playing partners who yielded shots back to the course. After nine holes Owen still had a one shot lead over Davis and the defending champion Garry Merrick (WA) who was keeping steady pace. Ahead earlier starter David Saunders (NSW) gathered a couple of quick birdies to move into the picture at one under par, while Lyndsay Stephen (WA) marked his time at even par.

Nudgee's 12th hole provided the tournaments turning point as Owen found trouble to the right of the long par five, settling for a double bogey seven. At the same time Davis wedged to within two feet, holing for a birdie and claiming a one shot lead at one under par. Again the chasers kept pace with Merrick birdieing the 15th and Saunders approaching to within 10 feet on numerous holes however failing to convert.

Dramatically the final groups trekked to the 18th where Davis held a slender one stroke lead from Merrick and two over Saunders. An errant tee shot into the fairway trap placed Saunders in a precarious position and his title chances slipped away with his missed seven foot par putt. Merrick similarly strayed to the left of the demanding 18th leaving his second with a restricted backswing and in the ominous shadow of the giant Moreton Bay Fig. With his own heroics Merrick hoisted the approach high into the westerly setting sun, nestling 15 feet away from flag. As the ensuing putt dropped Merrick had posted the clubhouse lead at two under par for the tournament. This then paved the way for Davis to play what every amateur dreams of........the championship winning shot.

The amateur section was highlighted by the battle between Nugdee Club Champion , Shane Ryan and Twin Creek's Greg Corben. Three days of competition saw the two separated by a single shot, Corbens final day 69 (two under par) failing by the narrowest margin. Ryan's total of 218 (five over par) displayed the quality of the amateur competitors tying him for 11th overall in a field that boasted a multitude of internationally credentialed professionals.

Round Two Report:

At the completion of 36 holes leading the way in the 55 year old section are Grahame MacDonald (below rightt) and Tony Gover. MacDonald recorded an outstanding round of two under par 69 to follow his opening 76. Gover also improved with rounds of 74-71. Early leader John Beaumont (below left) slipped slightly with a second round of 78 after his par breaking 70 on day one.

Other over 55 senior amateurs likely to figure in the finish include Greg Corben (76-74), Col Hallam (74-77), John Wheeler (73-78) and Geoff Everett (75-79).

As this event includes amateurs over the age of 50 there are other scores from amateurs in the 50-54 section as well. These include outright amateur leader Shane Ryan (73-70) and Peter Ball (75-73). Overall leader is New Zealand professional Owen Craig (70-68)

From the Golf Queensland Web Site:

The cream of Australasia's golfing 'Legends' have created a log jam at the top of the leaderboard on day two of the Queensland Senior Men's Open at Nudgee Golf Club. The vastly experienced Craig Owen (NZ) leads the tournament by two shots from favourite Rodger Davis (QLD) with Lyndsay Stephen (WA), Ossie Moore (QLD) and Brett Officer (QLD) a further shot back.

In more blustery conditions than the mostly benign first day, Owen took advantage early in his round, carding four consecutive birdies on his first nine holes. A double bogey on the first (Owen's 10th hole) was countered by a further two birdies on his second nine and was enough to claim the clubhouse lead at a total score of 138 (4- under) over the two rounds.

Pre tournament favourite Davis, managed a one under par 70 leaving him at a two round total of 140 (2-under) and in sole possession of second place. Davis' round was all the more remarkable for his bogey, triple bogey start leaving him at four over par after two holes. Showing that he has lost none of his trade mark combative nature, Davis completed a mid round stretch of 6 birdies in 8 holes to regather his momentum ahead of tomorrow's final round.

The trio of Lyndsey Stephen, Ossie Moore and defending champion Garry Merrick (WA) all had solid second rounds, with Stephen and Moore carding two under par rounds of 69 while Merrick followed yesterdays round of par with a one under 70.

The leading amateur is current Nudgee Club Champion Shane Ryan; his two rounds of 73, 70 seeing him leading another Nudgee Golf Club member Grahame MacDonald by two shots.

Tomorrow's final round looks set to be a cliffhanger at Nugdee, with the leading group scheduled to tee off at approximately 12:00pm.

Round One Report:

Leading the way in the 55 year old section is South Australian senior John Beaumont with a great score of one under par 70. He is continuing his excellent current form that saw him win the Queensland Senior Amateur last week. Beaumont is in equal second place overall with the only golfer shooting a lower score being senior professional Larry Canning (68).

Other over 55 senior amateurs to open with good round one scores were John Wheeler (73), Tony Gover (74), Col Hallam (74), Geoff Everett (75), Greg Corben (76) and Grahame MacDonald (76).

As this event includes amateurs over the age of 50 there are other scores from amateurs in the 50-54 section as well. These include Glen Bell (71), Shane Ryan (73) and Steve Rowley (74).

From the Golf Queensland Web Site:

The first day of the Qld Senior Open has seen New South Welshman Larry Canning jump to the top of the leaderboard at the Nudgee Golf Club. Canning from the Southern Highlands township of Bowral, didn't let a final hole bogey upset his round of 68 (three under par), which was highlighted by a stretch of four birdies on the back nine.

"Playing in the last group of the day is not traditional place to shoot the day's best score, but I played solidly and was happy with the result" Canning said.

However the chasing pack is close behind with five players carding one under par rounds including Craig Owen (NZ), Trevor McDonald (VIC), Paul Dalgleish (QLD), Mt Gambier amateur John Beaumont and ominously dual champion Rodger Davis (QLD).

Davis has started the Qld swing in stellar form with a dominant 3 stroke win at the Carbrook Legends Pro Am on Monday and looks to continue in the same vein.

A further shot back on even par are household names Brian Jones (QLD), Brett Officer (QLD) and last year's winner Garry Merrick (SA).

With 30 plus players within six shots of the lead, Rounds two and three are bound to provide plenty of movement of the leaderboard.