Tasman crew prevails in Shield showdown

TASMAN members Andrew Griffiths, Shane McGinniss and Ian York walked away from the Richmond Golf Club with the Southern Country Shield last Sunday.

The trio claimed the event on a countback from Llanherne Golf Club with a combined total of 251.

York was the best of the Tasman crew carding an 80, followed by McGinniss with an 83 and Griffiths chipping in with an 88. Llanherne was represented by Aaron Sacco,

David Smith and Roger Styles who returned 83, 85 and 83 respectively.

Tasman’s team of Steven Cooper, Richard Idstrom and Leo McGinniss also won the net shield with a total of 220.

The best individual gross score excluding winning teams was collected by Tea Tree’s Matthew Cross with a total of 81. Colebrook Golf Club’s Michael Brockman collected the best net prize of the day with a 70.

AN ELITE field of competitors will tee off this weekend in the Southern Open at Claremont Golf Club.

Frontrunner for the title will be current state team and Royal Hobart Golf Club member Joey Bower.

Bower is one of a handful of plus handicappers who have entered for this year’s championship.

Challenges for the title are expected to come from Tasmania Golf Club’s Andrew Phillips, Launceston’s Mitch Van Noord and Prospect Vale’s Ronan Filgate.

Junior golfers Dylan Backhouse from Tasmania Golf Club and Oscar Burrell from North West Bay will also be keen to perform well.

For further information and post entries contact Golf Australia-Tasmania 6244 3600.

A HANDFUL of Tasmania’s elite golfers were in action last week at the Keperra Bowl in Queensland.

The 72-hole Golf Australia Order of Merit event was conducted at the Keperra Golf Club from October 15-18.

Tasmania Golf Club junior Dylan Backhouse was the best-placed of the Tasmanians making the cut and finishing in outright 74th place.

The 16-year-old plus-one handicapper shot rounds of 70, 75, 78 and 79, a 14-over-par total of 302. Royal Hobart’s Joey Bower also teed up for the event but narrowly missed the cut with 76 and 74.

Queensland junior Elvis Smylie added the prestigious Keperra Bowl to his national junior title triumph from earlier this year.

Smylie carded six birdies and no bogeys in a six-underpar 66 to overtake 54-hole leader Josh Armstrong of Canberra and ultimately win by two shots at 16-under overall.

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