An extraordinary and exciting day at St George’s Basin today in the C Pennant semi-final.
The Jamberoo Kookaburras were playing a determined Port Kembla team for the right to progress to next weekends final. A close match was expected with two evenly matched teams facing off.
And so it turned out with a double extra hole playoff needed to separate the teams.
Alan Jones was the first back to the clubhouse after he encountered an opponent on fire. Alan played well but his opponent was unstoppable and playing a high standard game. Alan was defeated 6/5.
Gen Bayo retaliated playing an excellent game and winning 5/4. Glen controlled his game hitting several long drives down the middle of the fairway to overwhelm his opponent.
Pat Paris was in a real titanic struggle against his opponent and succumbed on the 18th green losing 2 down. It was a very tight match but Pat’s younger opponent found something extra to inflict defeat on a gallant Pat.
Tom Zimmermann was also in a very close struggle and led for much of the day but lost the last hole and his match. Tom played tenaciously but just couldn’t get that last putt to fall in.
The situation seemed desperate for the Kookaburras as Port had already claimed 3 matches to our 1 with only Andrew Ransom and John Anthony still on the course. John was making miraculous recovery shots to stay in his match and after his opponent 3 putted the 16th hole John had advanced to lead by 2 holes with 2 to play.
Andrew felt in control of his match and had led by 3 holes close to the half-way stage. His opponent did not give up and holed several good putts to stay in the match but trailed Andrew by 2 holes with 2 to play.
John’s opponent made a brilliant save to win the 17th but was unable to win the 18th with John winning 1 up. Jamberoo 2 Port Kembla 3. John’s superior short game was the difference in the end.
The Port Kembla captain playing Andrew again found inspiration and exhibited his fantastic short game to win both 17 and 18 sending that match into a playoff after Andrew lipped out with the possible winning putt at the last.
Both players had to continue their match on the par 5 first to determine the overall outcome of the match. If Andrew won the playoff then a further playoff between each club’s nominee would be needed. If the Port Kembla man won then they would progress. Andrew smashed his drive straight down the middle while his opponent finished behind a tree. An attempted recovery shot back fired hitting the tree and remaining almost in the same spot. To his credit his next shot extricated himself from trouble but he was left with a long 4th shot.
Meanwhile Andrew pushed his second shot onto the 2nd tee but played a brilliant recovery shot over trees to about 2 metres from the hole. The Port Kembla Captain did exceedingly well to finish the hole with a 6, giving Andrew the chance to 2 putt for the win which he did comfortably.
Jamberoo 3 Port Kembla 3. Further playoff needed!
Being fresh off a playoff Andrew was nominated as the Jamberoo representative in the final playoff playing the Port Kembla number 1.
The Port Kembla player hit under the same tree as his Captain but played two brilliant shots onto the green finishing 5 metres from the hole. Andrew again found the middle of the fairway and played a sensible second shot to about 80 metres of the par 5 green. His third shot stopped just short of the green and his chip shot was hit with a bit too much gusto leaving him with a 6 metre putt for par. His putt just missed and he was conceded a bogey 6. With two putts needed to win the match for his team the Port player left his first putt short and agonisingly missed his next to square the hole.
Onto the second playoff hole, the very difficult par 3 second over water.
Andrew, hitting first, skied his tee shot a little where it was grabbed by the wind and plummeted into the water short of the green. The Port player blocked his shot but it finished dry to the right of the green.
Forced to take a penalty Andrew played a very good 7 iron pin high and just to the left of the green. Meanwhile his opponent unfortunately fluffed 2 chips and was too strong with his 4th going over the green. Two more putts and he finished with a 6. An exceptional chip was played finishing beside the hole and the resultant tap in sealed the victory for Andrew and Jamberoo.
Just then, in a sign of support from the local Kookaburras, a raucous chorus was sounded!
It was an exciting and brilliant match between two very good teams played in the best spirit. Thank you Port Kembla.
Next week our C Pennant Kookaburras take on the very strong Kembla Grange team to determine who wins the 2025 C Pennant.
Congratulations Gentlemen on your fantastic effort..Good luck next weekend.. We are all behind you..