| 2007 WA Senior Amateur Championship |
| Royal Fremantle Golf Club April 12 - 13, 2007 |
| 2007 WA Senior Amateur |
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Venue: Royal Fremantle Golf Club
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Winner: Brian Sams (NSW)
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Runner Up: Mal Roberts (WA)
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3rd Place: Tony Mazzone (TAS)
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| Brian Sams Makes it 2 Titles for 2007 |
Port Macquarie golfer Brian Sams once again showed his class with a one shot win in the
2007 West Australian Senior Amateur Championship. This win was Sams’ second for the season having earlier won the Victorian Seniors Championship. From 4 starts this year Sams has now won twice and finished 3rd in another. All fellow senior golfers recognise Brian Sams as one of the hardest players to beat in any tournament he contests.
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Sams opened the tournament with a steady 74 that saw him share the lead with local WA player Chris Carey and South Australian star senior, Tony Mazzone.
2006 runner up Nigel Goodall was handily placed on 75 and West Australian senior legend Alex Cleave was close to the leaders with a first round score of 76. Cleave is a 6 time winner of this event (1997-98-99, 2002-3-4).
Round 2 was a close fought battle between the round one leaders and WA player Mal Roberts who had opened with a 77 but worked his way into contention with a good opening nine holes. Sams had to fight all the way and especially hard on the closing holes before his total of 148 (74 – 74) gave him a one shot margin and the narrowest of victories from Roberts. Roberts had showed his golfing skills stood up well under pressure by playing the final nine holes in an excellent 34 (2 under par) and a final score of equal par 72.
South Australian Tony Mazzone, followed his opening 74 with a 76 to claim third place on 150. Tony moved near to the lead with great approach shots on the closing holes but the vital putts just failed and he finished 2 behind Sams. Mazzone had finished runner up in the Tasmanian Senior Open in February and has now moved rapidly up the Senior Order of Merit table.
Nigel Goodall (WA), runner up in 2006, again played well (75-76) to finish alone in fourth place on 151. Peter Terrace (QLD) and Chris Carey (WA) finished on 152 to round out the top 5 positions. Terrace finished with the best round of the tournament - a one under par 71 and has clearly established himself as one the best "new seniors" for 2007. He is definitely the favourite for the Rookie of the Year Award.
All players commented on the well presented Royal Fremantle course, the high quality field and the excellent organisation of the tournament. There is a strong anticipation of an expanded 54-hole tournament in 2008 which will allow players to look forward to a seeded draw for the final "pressure packed" 18 holes.
| Click for more photos |
| Tony Mazzone (3rd), Brian Sams (Champion) & Mal Roberts (2nd) in the 2007 WA Seniors Championship. |
| Ian Read (QLD)- unsuccessful in defending his 2006 title but enjoyed the tournament. |
| Nigel Goodall - 4th place in 2007 after finishing runner up in 2006. |
