Unless you've been living under a rock for the last two decades you'll already know Robert Payne's a class above most of his rivals in the central west but, on Sunday, he moved into a league of his own in terms of Duntryleague's Club Championship.
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Payne, the No.2 seed, took down eighth qualifier Rob Parfett nine and eight in Sunday's 36-hole, match-play decider to claim his second title in a row and 14th crown overall, a victory that pushes him to the outright lead in terms of A Grade triumphs.
Payne was tied on 13 with Wayne Carpenter leading into Sunday's final, in which he said putting made the difference as he rocketed to a seven-up lead through the first 18 before closing out the win on the 10th green.
"Across the 28 holes I think there was one putt I missed that I should've got. I've been putting well recently but they haven't all been going in, but on Sunday I just putted absolutely brilliantly," Payne said, mentioning the course's greens played as well as they ever have in his time.
"The scoreline doesn't indicate how good a player Rob Parfett is, he is a much better player than that but he had a few of those putts that lipped out, or just missed.
To be able to have this kind of success [at Duntryleague] is something I'm very proud of.
- Robert Payne
"I also shot 67 in the morning and probably finished around even par through the 28 we played, when you're doing that it's always going to be tough to beat."
Payne pointed to three three-hole streaks he went on throughout the match-up that proved crucial factors too. In the morning's 18 he won the second, third and fourth holes and backed that up by taking the 11th, 12th and 13th as well.
He won the first three holes of the afternoon round as well to push out a 10-up lead and all but shore up the win, although Parfett pegged two back on the sixth and seventh.
Payne said the victory will sit proudly alongside his 17 City of Orange Championship crowns and his 14 Duntryleague Open trophies, along with the plethora of other titles he's claimed around the region, including his NSW Seniors' wins.
"I'm stoked, I really am. Duntryleague is a club that's steeped in history and I'm so proud just to be a member, but to be able to have this kind of success here is something I'm very proud of," Payne said, estimating he's won another 10 Club Championship titles in his time as a member at Wellington, Dubbo and Charlestown.
"Most of me best memories in golf and a lot of the best things I've been able to do in the game have come during my time as a member at Duntryleague, I'm really honoured and blessed to be able to play here."
Payne, progressed to the decider with a three and two win over regular sparring partner Craig Stojanovic in the semi-finals, having beaten Pete Bell (six and five) before that.
Parfett actually knocked out No.1 seed Mal Gregor in the quarter-finals, winning five and three before recording a three and two win over Dennis Schultz in the final four.
Payne's focus now shifts to this weekend's 36-hole Easter tournament at Dubbo, a course he's very familiar with having claimed eight Open titles there as well.
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