Poise under pressure, clutch par putts on the final two holes and an absent rival resulting in a play-off that never was were enough for Robert Payne to claim the 2016 Wentworth Open – his 12th – last weekend.
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The Duntryleague gun completed the clean sweep of Orange and Blayney’s 2016 Opens with a two-under, 36-hole score of 138 over the weekend.
Payne finished tied with Cootamundra’s Brett Lange but, having played early in the day, the latter had left the club early and knowingly forfeited any play-off which might occur.
“I didn’t know he’d left so I was gearing myself up for a play-off. I was pretty confident too because I’ve got a good record in play-offs,” Payne said.
“It’s a bit disappointing to not get to play against him but I’m just really chuffed to get over the line.”
After shooting a two-under 68 on Saturday’s first day, Payne had the overnight lead by one shot from Dubbo’s Errol Toomey (69).
Lange and Duntryleague duo James Conran and James Walford were a shot further back after carding even par rounds of 70.
Lange shot 68 on Sunday’s second day to take the clubhouse lead from Payne, who was one over through nine in his second round and a shot off the pace.
“I knew I needed to have one under around the back nine to tie, which ended up being enough obviously,” Payne explained.
I knew what I had to do with nine holes to go and went out there and got the job done. This one was really pleasing because of that.
- Robert Payne
Payne missed a birdie putt on the 10th before carding birdie, par, bogey through 11, 12 and 13 to remain one shot off Lange’s mark.
“I birdied 14 and 15 though to go back into the lead,” Payne said.
He explained he produced a beautiful second shot up the hill on 16, which landed on the front of the green but proceeded to rocket over the back.
“The pin was at the back too, so it was a tough little pitch shot and I ended up bogeying that one, then sank a 10-footer on 17 and an eight-footer on 18 for pars to tie,” he said.
“Of the four (2016 Open wins), this one would probably rank the highest because I knew what I had to do with nine holes to go and went out there and got the job done. This one was really pleasing because of that.”
Dave Parkes (136) won the A grade handicap title.
Dave Rouse (162) claimed the B grade scratch gong and Ray Craw (137) won the handicap trophy.
Possibly the story of the competition though was Country Club C-grader Don Lovegrove.
Playing off 19, Lovegrove shot an eight-over 78 – 11 under his handicap – on the first day to lead by 10 strokes from his nearest competitor.
He came back to the field on the Sunday though, shooting 96 – seven over his handicap – to finish with a 36-hole score of 174.
It was enough to win the C grade scratch honours, while Gordon Common (136) won the handicap.