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Round 3 Report:
In another amazing performance Australia's leading senior golfer Stefan Albinski has won the 2010 Victorian Senior Amateur Championship.
Once again he provided the final round score that was needed under pressure with a great last round of one under par 71 to take out his second Victorian Seniors. His record in senior golf is quite extraordinary with 14 wins since his first event three years ago - the 2008 Australian Seniors Championship (which he also won).
In second place was another super star of senior golf, Bill Banks from Royal Canberra. Although very close to 65 years of age the veteran showed he is still one of the best senior golfers in Australia by leading after round one and two and beating everyone except Albinski.
Report from Golf Victoria:
Stefan Albinski from Mona Vale has taken out the 2010 Championship after a terrific final round 1 under par 71. Albinski started the final round 3 shots behind leader Bill Banks and then dropped another shot further behind after a bogey at the first hole. Bogey's at the 3rd & 4th holes to Banks saw him drop in to a tie with Rick Oliver. Bogey's at the 5th to Banks and Oliver then saw Albinski join the leaders in a 3 way tie.
A birdie at the 9th to Oliver put him in the lead but that did not last long. A birdie on 10 had Banks back in the lead as Oliver made bogey and Albinski parred. Banks parred 11 and 12 to hold the lead whilst Oliver started to slip away with another bogey at 11 followed by a double bogey on the 12th.
Meanwhile Albinski kept making pars. A Banks bogey at the 13th dropped him back in the lead with Albinski which they shared until the 16th. Albinski birdied the 16th to Bank's par whilst Oliver made his 3rd birdie in 4 holes to propel him back up the leader board. So after 52 holes we had Albinski at +5, Banks and Oliver at +6 and we were all set for a nailbiting finish with 2 holes to play.
Albinski however had other ideas and a great birdie at the 178m par 3 17th against bogey's to Banks and Oliver gave him a 3 stroke buffer coming to the final hole. The final hole was an anticlimax for the spectators as Albinski and Banks made bogey's and Oliver a double however the 18 holes had been a great battle and all 3 players had their chance to win.
With his 2nd Victorian Amateur title in his pocket Albinski was full of praise for the course, golf club, the friendly staff and the tournament itself.
Although playing a little less these days, Banks is still one of the very best seniors in Australia. He currently has a record of 12 life time wins on the senior ranking circuit. The leader on this table is (you guessed it) Stefan Albinski with 14 victories. A full list of all the winners is available by clicking on National & State History under the Order of Merit button.
In a tie for third place was the in form Rick Oliver and the newcomer Paul Maslen, both from NSW. Oliver is a previous Australian Senior champion and in recent starts has won the Victorian Secondary at The National Golf Club, finished second in the South Australian Seniors Championship at The Grange and second again in The Grange Senior Classic.
Paul Maslen was playing in his first Australian Seniors event and his top three placing was no surprise to those who know how well this golfer from the Concord club in NSW can play. After an opening 80 in difficult conditions Maslen stormed home with rounds of 74 and 71 to share third place. He may be just the player to challenge Albinski in 2011 senior events.
Alone in fifth place was the defending champion Chris Tatt who was also the leading Victorian. Tatt played consistently with rounds of 78-7375 for another top five placing in a senior ranking event. Sixth place was John Beaumont from South Australia who broke 80 every day with scores of 79-72-77.
In a tie for seventh place were the experienced seniors Ross Percy (769-72-78) and Brian Sams (81-70-78). Sams had the best round of the tournament with a two under par 70 in the middle round.
Rounding out the top ten were two Victorians - Ray Walker (76-74-80) and newcomer Don Hendry (80-74-76).
1 221 ALBINSKI Stefan 76 - 74 - 71 Mona Vale NSW
2 224 BANKS Bill 74 - 73 - 77 Royal Canberra ACT
3 225 MASLEN Paul 80 - 74 - 71 Concord NSW
3 225 OLIVER Rick 76 - 73 - 76 Young NSW
5 226 TATT Chris 78 - 73 - 75 Buninyong VIC
6 228 BEAUMONT John 79 - 72 - 77 Mt Gambier SA
7 229 PERCY Ross 79 - 72 - 78 Cobram Barooga VIC
7 229 SAMS Brian 81 - 70 - 78 Port Macquarie NSW
9 230 HENDRY Donald 80 - 74 - 76 Rosanna VIC
9 230 WALKER Ray 76 - 74 - 80 Chirnside Park VIC
11 233 MACDONALD Grahame 80 - 78 - 75 Nudgee QLD
11 233 DUNN Nick 78 - 76 - 79 The Australian NSW
After a very successful championship on a great golf course attention now turns to the Australian Senior Match Play Championship to be played at the nearby Thirteenth Beach Golf Club from October 25-29. The defending champion is no other than Stefan Albinski and it will take some great golf from his challengers if they are to stop his winning ways.
Then in November, Albinski leads a six man team of Australian seniors to compete in the 2010 Asia Pacific Senior Championship in Thailand. Albinski has won the individual title for the last two years and will be keen to make it three in a row. Joining him are John Beaumont, Peter King, Greg Corben, Rick Oliver and Grahame MacDonald. Runners up to New Zealand in 2009 we wish the team good luck in their effort to reclaim the team championship they last won in 2008.
Round 2 Report:
Day two was definitely moving day with many players taking full advantage of the beautiful weather.
Bill Banks from Royal Canberra continues to lead the field after day two of the Victorian Senior Amateur at The Sands, Torquay. Banks once again played steadily for a fine one over par 73 with the only blemish a double bogey 6 coming at the 15th.
Hot on his heels at 5 over is Rick Oliver from Young GC after shooting a solid 73 despite a frustrating bogey at the last hole.
2008 winner Stefan Albinski (Mona Vale) recovered from a bad start to post a good round of 74 to be at 6 over par level with Ray Walker (Chirnside Park).
The biggest mover of the day was two times winner Brian Sams (Port Macquarie)with a terrific 2 under par 70 offsetting his horror 1st round of 81. Sams teeing off on the tough back nine turned 1 under then stumbled on the relatively easy 1st hole with a double bogey six before birdies at the 3rd, 4th and 9th holes.
Sharing 5th place at 7 over with Sams are 2009 winner Chris Tatt (Buninyong), Ross Percy (Cobram Barooga), Allan Bullas (Commonwealth) and John Beaumont (MtGambier). The final round commences tomorrow at 8.00am with the leading players starting at 1.00pm, spectators are most welcome.
Leading Scores:
1 147 BANKS Bill 74 - 73 - ACT
2 149 OLIVER Rick 76 - 73 - NSW
3 150 ALBINSKI Stefan 76 - 74 - NSW
3 150 WALKER Ray 76 - 74 - VIC
5 151 SAMS Brian 81 - 70 - NSW
5 151 BEAUMONT John 79 - 72 - SA
5 151 PERCY Ross 79 - 72 - VIC
5 151 TATT Chris 78 - 73 - VIC
9 152 BULLAS Alan 79 - 73 - VIC
10 154 HENDRY Donald 80 - 74 - VIC
10 154 KING Peter 80 - 74 - QLD
10 154 MASLEN Paul 80 - 74 - NSW
Round 1 Report:
In cold blustery conditions with the occasional patches of sunshine 126 senior golfers battled their way around the testing Torquay Sands layout. Some 37 interstate players have come down south in a bid to take the 2010 Victorian Senior Amateur Championship trophy over the border.
Bill Banks from Royal Canberra leads the field after day one. Banks shot a fine 2 over par around the testing Stuart Appleby course. Completing the front nine in even par a bogey at the 10th & 18th holes were the only blemishes coming home. Banks has previously won this title on 3 occasions and will certainly be the player to beat.
Banks leads by 2 strokes from Rick Oliver (Young), Ray Walker (Chirnside Park) and Stefan Albinski from Mona Vale. Defending 2009 champion Chris Tatt opened with a round of 78 and is still a chance on this testing course. Play continues tomorrow from 8.00am and spectators are most welcome.
Leading Scores:
1 74 BANKS Bill Royal Canberra
2 76 ALBINSKI Stefan Mona Vale
2 76 OLIVER Rick Young
2 76 WALKER Ray Chirnside Park
5 77 KITCHIN Daryl The Sands
6 78 DUNN Nick The Australian
6 78 TATT Chris Buninyong
8 79 BEAUMONT John Mt Gambier
8 79 BULLAS Alan Commonwealth
8 79 MULLER Campbell The Sands
8 79 PERCY Ross Cobram Barooga
12 80 GIBBONS Clark Penrith
