A HOT putter helped Nic Clayton turn back the clock with an easy three-shot victory in Thursday’s stableford competition at the Mount Gambier Golf Club.
Clayton rode a purple patch of form back in 2021, winning three times on Thursdays in the space of eight weeks.
But after finishing with 40 points last Thursday – three clear of runner-up Don Coulter – Clayton said he was not expecting to start another winning streak.
“I didn’t really hit the ball that well,” he said.
“I just putted well for most of the round.
“I think I had eight one-putt greens which obviously helped a lot.”
After a scratchy start that included bogeys on the first, second and fourth holes, he kick-started his round by sinking a 30-foot birdie putt on the par 4 fifth.
He dropped a shot on the par 3 sixth hole, but bounced back with another one-putt birdie on the par 5 7th from about 12 feet.
Playing off a five handicap, Clayton accumulated 17 points on the front nine thanks to a two-over par 38 off the stick.
His game improved on the inward nine, where he picked up no fewer than five three-pointers thanks to pars on the 10th, 13th, 14th and 17th holes, not to mention another one-putt birdie on the par 5 11th.
That helped him add 23 more points to his tally after shooting an impressive one-under par 35 off the stick on the back nine.
Coulter was three points back in second place and surprisingly, given the perfect weather for golf, he and Clayton were the only two players in the field of 97 to better their handicaps.
After finishing in a tie for third on 36 points, Richard Gosling was left wondering what might have been.
Playing off a one handicap, Gosling fired a superb 33 off the stick on the front nine, helped by birdies on the third and eighth holes and an incredible eagle-two on the par 4 10th.
Unfortunately he could not back that up on the second nine, a double-bogey on the par 3 10th stopping his momentum.
Two more bogeys meant he could only manage a four-over par 40 on the way home, adding just 15 points to his 21 from the front nine.
Superb weather also greeted the 117-strong field for Saturday’s stableford round.
This time the scoring was better, Conor Ryan leading the way with 41 points to claim the top prize in B Grade.
Playing off a 14 handicap, Ryan had a solid 19 points on the front nine before adding 22 points on the back thanks to a three-over par 39 off the stick.
That saw him finish three points clear of Rob Perryman, while in A Grade it was Shane Brook who took top honours with 40 points thanks to a three-over par round of 75.
Club professional John Martin took second spot after shooting a one-under par round of 71 and in C Grade the winner was veteran Charlie Finch whose 39 points saw him finish one ahead of Josh Maclean.
