DESPITE having won virtually every open competition in the central west area multiple times, victory never gets old for Duntryleague golfing phenom Robert Payne.
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“No, definitely not,” he laughed.
“It’s hard work, I’ll tell you that.”
Payne secured his 12th Parkes Open on Sunday after a tight tussle through the 27-hole competition, culminating in a play-off against Forbes’ Steve Betland.
Payne parred each of the three nines - shooting 35, 36 and 35 respectively - to finish even through 27 holes.
Similarly, Betland finished square, forcing the three-hole-play-off on the first, second and ninth holes.
Payne ended up securing the one stroke victory after also finishing the playoff even, while a wayward tee shot from Betland on the final hole all but gifted the Orange golfer the 2014 title.
“All I was thinking through the round was that parring it might be enough,” Payne said.
“In the end it was, through the play-off I went par, par, par and Steve went par, par, bogey.
“He put his drive into the trees, and on that hole that’s not a good spot.
“I hit a nice, straight drive and after his second shot wasn’t a great one, considering the tier on that green I was home really.”
With the 27-hole Dubbo Open this Sunday, Payne said the Parkes equivalent is the perfect preparation in his bid for unbriddled domination for the region’s golf courses.
“I played well throughout the Parkes competition,” he said.
“Now with Dubbo coming up, it was a good hit. I really do love playing in Dubbo I used to live there.
“I love going back and I’m really, really looking forward to playing there again.”
With Payne’s biggest event in 2014, the NSW Open, in just under two months, Payne said the Dubbo competition should have him all but ready for the big one.
