Golf: Perry holds nerve in sudden death

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DOWN TO THE WIRE: Ben Holmes (right) congratulates Caleb Perry after his stunning victory in the inaugural Kym Holmes Cup at the Attamurra golf course over the weekend.

THE inaugural Kym Holmes Cup was held over the week-end, with players coming from across South Australia and Victoria to compete for the $1000 first prize over 36 holes.

Caleb Perry, a former Mount Gambier Golf Club junior member, was the winner after a sensational victory on the first playoff hole.

Perry defeated Round 1 leader Darren Bilney with a birdie after players were tied at five-under the card 139.

Round 1 was in difficult conditions and local member Bilney posted an exceptional three-under the card 69.

Anthony Williams, a former MGGC member and now with the BLGC was second, posting a one-under the card 71.

Perry closed with a birdie on 18 to post 72, while the top five was rounded out by Royal Adelaide GC’s Matt Lawson and Willunga GC’s Steven Williams, with both carding 74.

Conditions on Sunday were mild and calm but the golf was exceptional.

The final four of Bilney, Perry, Williams and Lawson drew an ever increasing audience as the round progressed.

Williams fired a disappointing 76 and never found his groove, while Lawson matched his first round with another 74.

Reigning triple club champion Darryl Morgan fired a classy 70, but the damage had been done on Saturday with an uncharacteristic 76.

Perry and Bilney traded birdies all day, with neither prepared to lie down.

On the par five 11th the game went up another notch.

After Bilney rolled in a 20-foot eagle putt from just off the green, Perry stood over his own eagle putt – 30 foot and downhill.

With a calmness that belies his years he rolled it in, matching Bilney’s three.

When Bilney made double bogey on the short 16th, Perry held a two stroke advantage.

A par, par finish would surely see him claim victory.

For the first time Perry looked nervous.

A three-putt on 17 was followed by a poor wedge to 18 that flew the green and led to a soft bogey.

In a flash his lead was gone and the players were tied on five-under the card 139.

The players exchanged handshakes and along with an audience of some 50 people headed to the first tee in a sudden death playoff.

Bilney was first and there were some anxious moments as his tee shot headed down the left side of the fairway.

Perry’s drive, unsurprisingly, was right, well away from trouble.

Bilney had played a provisional ball but it was not required as his first ball was found in bounds, but allowed nothing more than a punch back out to the fairway, with no hope of reaching the green.

Perry’s second clipped some trees and both players were left with short pitches to the par 5, first green.

Nervous would best describe both players’ pitches, with neither able to find the putting surface, coming to rest just off.

Bilney was first to putt and rolled the ball up dead for a tap-in five and now Perry had a putt to win.

Just as on the 11th, Perry proved he has the goods when it matters most.

Although only half the length of his eagle putt on 11, it still went in with the same pace, calmness and authority.

The Kym Holmes trophy and $1000 winner’s cheque were his.

The event, in its first year, drew players from Royal Adelaide GC, Willunga GC, SGA GC, The Vines GC, Penola GC, Warrnambool GC, Blue Lake GC, Pinnaroo GC, Maitland GC, Naracoorte GC, Kooyonga GC and Horsham GC and only looks to grow in coming years.