Bonnar Cup, Report Round 2 May 15, 2022 – vs. Glenelg at Blackwood
The second match of Bonnar was the rematch of last year’s final against Glenelg, again at Blackwood. The conditions were very similar to the final, very windy and cold with rain expected. The course itself was in good condition and the greens excellent and fairly quick. The Glenelg side had a number of young players, new to Bonnar, due to a couple of players having COVID. We were still expecting a very close match.
Jackson Szyszlak played at number 7 this week, against Anthony Wang. Jackson’s drive into the wind on the par 3 tenth, our starting hole, was hit well and almost went through the dogleg. He did have a shot and managed to halve the hole. From then it was very close until hole 16 where Jackson had trouble and went one down. However a great second shot on 17 from the left rough through the trees found the green and a two putt par had the match square again. By hole 6 Jackson had worked his way to two up and the match finished on hole 7, 3 and 2.
Ryan Sugars played at number 6 against Fletch Ryan another Glenelg player new to Bonnar. Ryan did not get off to the best start and on a few occasions on the first nine I saw him struggle with the putter. He was 2 down through hole 14, but then started to putt better. On 17 his first putt went a good metre and a half past the hole and when Fletch sank a good putt he needed to hole the one coming back to keep the match square. He did, and from there he was never headed and by hole 6 was 3 up with 3 to play, finishing the match off on hole 7 with another win, 4 and 2.
Craig Brown, with wife Mardi as caddy, played at number 5 this week against Jack Leonard. I did not see a lot of Craig’s match but he was obviously hitting the ball very well and was 4 up, 6 holes in at hole 15. Another solid par at hole 17 and he was 5 up. This was Craig’s first time playing Blackwood and he asked my advice on the drive on hole 18. I told him to keep it left as there was lots of trouble on the right. Unfortunately he went too far left and through the dogleg and from here the match was a bit tougher. Jack played some good golf to get back to 2 down by hole 6 with 3 to go. Craig did win hole 7 for a well-earned 3 and 2 win.
Steven Berridge, who was a member and pennant player at Blackwood a few year ago, went out at number 4 against Angus Heffernan. I could see Steve considering the trees on the corner of the dogleg on hole 10 and unfortunately his drive was just on the wrong line and not quite high enough and caught the trees, resulting in a chip out and a tough start. However he stuck at it and was square at hole 13 and 16. On hole 17 his uphill putt for birdie sat on the edge but the par was good enough for 1 up. When Steve hit a wrong ball on hole 2, then missed his putt for par on 3 the match was all square. Some solid golf on the next few holes and I am sure using his local knowledge, especially on the short, dogleg left sixth hole, Steve was back to 2 up after hole 6. A win on hole 7 and the match, 3 and 2. Steve’s win did give us the four matches necessary to win the day.
Bonnar Captain, Tim Cece, was back in the side after his overseas golf tour, playing in the number 3 spot against the very experienced James Bidgen. Tim’s drive over the trees on ten did find the fairway bunker but that must have been the most trouble he found all day. I did not see a lot of Tim’s match, apart from hole 13, where he was 2 up and then hole 14. On the long downhill 14th Tim was short of the green on the fairway and I saw James heading left into the trees to find his drive. Tim won that for 3 up and was eventually 5 up after 17. A very solid victory 7 and 6.
Alex Nitschke got a chance at number 2 this week against another very experienced Glenelg Bonnar player, Dale Penny. This was to be tough match up for Alex. The match was square through the first 6 holes but then a loss on 16 and a way too big second shot into the hazard behind 17, from where it was a lucky hack out, saw Alex 2 down. I saw him make a great up and down on 18 to get back to one down at the turn. However things got tough from there and losses at the first two holes on the front nine made it 3 down. A win on the third helped a little but Alex eventually lost on hole 7, 3 and 2.
Matthew Wilson played at number one again this week against an experienced pennant player, Zac Bray, who has joined Glenelg from Flagstaff Hill this year. This was an interesting match of two halves. I saw Matt hole a great putt on hole 10 for a half, and from then he played well to be four up after 17. His drive on 18 was way right but then two great shots had him on the back of the green putting for birdie. Unfortunately his par putt for the half hit the hole and spun out on the edge for a loss and 3 up lead. A lost ball on 1 saw the lead shrink to 2up. Matt tells me that Zac then really started to play some great golf which saw Matt lose 4 of the next 5 holes. Zac eventually won the match 2 and 1 on hole 8.
The final result was a very good win 5 matches to 2. Thanks again to Mardi Brown and Michael Szyszlak for coming out on a day when the conditions were not the best. A special thanks to Carly Brown for making the brownies which are very much appreciated by all of the players and especially the Team Manager.
Next week we play Kooyonga at Royal Adelaide off the first tee at the early time of 8.25am.
Kym Linke
Team Manager