The 2021 Club and Grade Championships, co-sponsored by Greg Harvison Building & Design and Jacaranda City Coaches (David & Leanne Morgan) have now been completed with a significant change in the results with youth completely dominating experience.
With rounds of 76, 73, 72 & 73 (total 290), Jackson Wright (scratch) has been crowned as the 2021 Club Champion, leading for almost the entire series, so dominate was his play. Runner-up to Jackson was the very youthful Willow Harris (4) who recorded scores of 73, 75, 77 & 74 to finish five shots in arrears to Jackson with 299 total. To ease the pain of finishing in the championship runner-up spot, Willow did achieve a win in the handicap component of the series with a total net score of 284.
There is no doubt that both Jackson and Willow will be the future stars of Grafton Golf with youth on their side. The more experienced players with 18 championships between them, Matthew Worthing (13 championships), Matt McKee (three titles) and Greg Harvison (two titles), were expected to again dominate the Championships but had no answer to the two young guns, competing their title chase with scores of 307, 305 and 312 respectively. However you cannot write off any of those three players again taking out future championships with a strong campaign.
In A Reserve, Brendan Cleaver (6) completely dominated that grade with a final four round total of 312, his nearest competitor, Jeff Hackett (6), finishing nine shots in arrears with a 321 total. Stephen Hancock (10) smashed the B Grade fraternity with his opening two rounds of 79 & 78 hits to establish an almost unbeatable lead in that grade from the start. Despite falling away a little in the final two rounds with scores of 93 & 90 managed to hang on to that early lead to win the grade with a total four round score of 340. Steven Camac (11) claimed the runner-up spot with a total of scores against his name.
Player, with handicaps in the 16-54 range contested C Grade with a reasonably close result at the completion of their four rounds. In the end it was Terrence Ord (16) taking out that grade with 360 from Bill Dudgeon (17) on 362 just the one shot clear of Graeme Smith (17) with 363 total.
Sponsors of this year’s Championship series Greg Harvison, together with David and Leanne Morgan indicated their continued association with the 2022 Championships that continuing support more than appreciated by all Grafton golfers.
Ray Hopwood