Robert Payne’s love affair with the Dubbo Golf Club continued on Sunday when the Duntryleague ace took out his eighth Dubbo Open crown.
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Payne shot a one-over round of 107 over the open’s 27 holes on Sunday to edge home-town hopes Justin Moses (108), Nick Coggan and Matt Gleeson, the pair of Dubbo golfers finishing in a tie for third after both shooting four-over rounds of 110.
The one-stroke victory completes a 2018 sweep of the major Dubbo tournaments for Payne, who also took out the club’s Macquarie Cup over Easter.
Payne now has eight Dubbo Open crowns and 11 Macquarie Cups next to his name, an incredible record.
“You could say I love the Dubbo course,” Payne, who hails from Wellington but lives in Orange, said.
“I’ve won the open and the Easter tournament in the same year, and that doesn’t happen very often.”
The plus-two marker kicked off the day in perfect fashion with an eagle on the par five first to set up his round.
In fact, Payne was incredible around the Dubbo course’s longest holes.
Of the five, par-five holes on the course, he birdied or better four of them to finish the day five-under on the those holes.
“That was the secret for me,” he said of his strike rate around the par-five holes.
I played solid all day. One-over was probably the worst score I could have had.
- Dubbo Open champion Robert Payne.
“I’m putting well. I’m really confident there.
“I played solid all day. One-over was probably the worst score I could have had.”
After his eagle on the first, Payne stumbled somewhat on four and five to drift back to even par early in his round.
He then birdied seven, but again found a bad shot on eight to land back at square.
That to-and-fro nature of Payne’s round continued for virtually the entire 27 holes, but after turning on 18 at even par he bogeyed 20 and then double bogeyed 21 to place his spot on top of the leader board in serious jeopardy.
You can never write off a champion though, and birdies on 22, 24 and 26 helped steady Payne’s ship and ultimately win him his eighth Dubbo Open crown.
“I’ve been playing well for a while now,” he said.
“I was in a purple patch where I’d go two and three rounds in a row under par and I went from plus-one to plus- four. It’s only just recently I’ve had a couple of scores come off and my handicap is back to plus-two.
“The funny thing was ... I said even-par will definitely win but if you shoot one-over it’ll go very close.”
Dubbo golfers Greg O’Donnell (123) and Shane Morris (128) took out the B grade and C grade titles respectively.
The City of Orange Golf Classic is on this long weekend, while the Mudgee Open is also scheduled for this weekend.
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Nick McGrath
Editor, Central Western Daily
Editor, Central Western Daily
