TALK about lulling your opposition into a false sense of security.
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Playing off 19, Nick Ellice shot horror qualifying rounds of 106 and 100 to be seeded 14th at the beginning of Wentworth Golf Club's C grade club championship match-play rounds.
Since then, he has defeated third seed Dave Wilson on the 18th green, sixth qualifier Jayden Wilson on their first play-off hole, before streaking away from seventh seed Richard Bale 6 and 5 in the penultimate round to set up Sunday's final with lower grade phenom Frank O'Neil.
"Frank has been there or thereabouts in this grade for a long time, hopefully he's just about had enough," he laughed.
"[The qualifiers] were the two worst rounds I've played in a long time. It was horrible, and qualifying low meant I had to play the best guys first up. It was good to get a couple of close wins up though, it steels you a bit I think."
O'Neil, the top qualifier, is coming off a tough play-off win against Doug Mill and Ellice said he is expecting a close affair.
"He'll knock it up there all day, so I think I just have to worry about my own game and block everything else out," Ellice said.
"I've been playing scratchy golf, but if I can hit fairways and play a bit more consistently I think I'll give it a good crack."
Ellice and O'Neil tee off at 8.21am on Sunday.
In Wentworth's higher grades, Matt Williamson clashes with Craig Coles in A grade from 8am, Adam Freeman plays Chris Lynch in A reserve at 8.07am and Doug Westcott plays Nick Bolton in B grade, teeing off at 8.14am.
Duntryleague will host its semi-finals on Sunday, with Robert Payne taking on Craig Stojanovic (8am) and Paul Collis playing Andy Campbell (8.06am) in A grade. In A reserve, Craig Griffiths (8.12am) and John Clyde 8.18am) play Robert Williamson and David Parfett respectively, while in B grade Ian Paine takes on John Farquarson (8.24am), and Michael Lenon plays Sandro Rossetto (8.30am).
In C grade, David Cantwell plays Andy Royal (8.36am) and Ron King clashes with Trevor Wilson (8.42am).