Payne defeated John Dubois 8 and 7 last weekend to set up a mouth-watering final eight clash with good friend Rob Parfett.

“I’m hoping the wind blows, I love playing in the wind,” Payne said.

“I had eight years in Newcastle, and playing the coastal courses you have to hit the ball a lot lower into the wind. I tend to concentrate more when it’s blowing, so if the wind gets up on Sunday I’ll be very confident.”

Parfett overcame Mal Gregor 3 and 2, and Payne said tomorrow’s match had the potential to be one of the best Duntryleague has seen in some time.

“Rob plays off scratch now I think,” Payne said.

“We’re good mates, and it’ll be a very good match. I think if we both play our best I think I’ll probably get him, but if I’m off it opens up a window for him.

“Match-play is a hole at a time, so you never know what can happen.”

In the other A grade games, Craig Stojanovic plays James Conran, David Corby takes on Paul Collis and Justin Thrift plays Andrew Campbell.

In A reserve Mark Conn takes on Craig Griffiths, Robert Williamson plays Brandan Smith, Warwick Bradley clashes with John Clyde and David Parfett plays John Cook.

B grade sees Ian Paine clash with Dale McIntosh, John Farquarson takes on William Golland, Martin Boyd plays Michael Lenon and Richard Benson plays Sandro Rossetto.

In C grade, David Cantwell plays Christian Cheney, Andy Royal takes on Mark Hildebrandt, John Young plays Ron King and Trevor Williams will look to overcome Drew Hall. 

DESPITE lightning-fast greens and pin placements which “left a bit to be desired”, Orange’s Robert Payne took out the Golf NSW Senior Order of Merit event at Duntryleague yesterday.

Played over two days, Payne shot a seven-over 77 on Thursday, and backed up with a two-over 72 to take out the scratch event by nine shots from Leonay’s Laurie Cupples (81/77-158).

“It was like putting on marble out there,” Payne said.

“The pins were a bit friendlier [yesterday], but local knowledge did little for this event. It was very tough out there.

“I’ve played golf all over the place, and I don’t think I’ve ever played on greens that quick. But the weather was beautiful both days, and there was some good golf played.”

Payne had a four-stroke lead overnight, and said the scores were a direct result of the speed of the greens.

“It was just incredible, you had to be low the hole all the time,” Payne said.

“You’d be struggling to two-putt from 15 feet, but everyone putted on the same surface.

“Even though the scores weren’t great, a win is a win.”

Colin Radford took out the men’s handicap event, with 148 (78/70) on a countback from Roy Payne (77/71).

In the over 65 men’s category, Mittagong’s Cameron Fraser shot rounds of 84 and 83 to win the event with a total of 167. He finished just one shot in front of Queanbeyan’s John Paton (82/86 - 168).

Beckwith’s Jill Bentley won the ladies’ scratch, with 173 (88/85) over the two days.