SURPRISINGLY the improved conditions on Tuesday at the Blue Lake Golf Club did not bring out a horde of golfers looking to get their fix after missing out on Saturday, nor did it bring improved scores.
There was still a good field of close to 50 players battling out a stableford event and the best of them was David Lovie with his score of 35, just holding off Callum Harvey in a count-back.
Lovie plays in a regular group of four with no quarter given and plenty of advice to go along with and at the turn he found himself third in that group with just 15 points.
That was enough of a spur to kickstart his round, finding pars on the 11th, 13th, 14th and 16th holes for three points apiece.
While he was happy to take the winners trophy, he was happier to have the bragging rights as the group winner.
Lovie’s 20 points on the back nine was enough to beat Harvey in a count-back, who had splits of 17 and 18.
He found some touch at the end of both nines, reeling off two pars and a birdie at the end of the outward nine and four consecutive pars to finish the inward nine.
A disappointing wipe on the ninth hole hurt his chances of taking the outright win, but it was still a good return to form for the talented junior.
A host of players finished tied on 34, with the count-back going the way of John Robertson.
Battling a foot inflammation and confined to a buggy, Robertson saved all his energy for the closing stages of his round, with five pars over the last seven holes for 20 points.
His highlight came on the second hole where a long-range putt found the bottom of the cup.
Others to finish on that score included Brenton Hodge with a birdie on the 17th hole on his way to a closing 18 points, Ian Bown, who birdied the last for 18 as well, Garry Fox with 17, Russell Lingham with 16, who also birdied the second hole and Brenton Speck who opened impressively with 20 points, but only managed 14 on the way in.
Tyson Ploenges had three birdies in his round, but off a two handicap there is not much room for error, finishing with 29 points.
