Vs North Adelaide at Kooyonga
This week we were at Kooyonga against the second placed North Adelaide. A number of changes this week with Matt Wilson being promoted to Simpson Cup and Josh Morrell in for his first game of the season. This was always going to be a challenge as North Adelaide have a very experienced side that have been playing well this year. The weather was better than forecast and Kooyonga in great condition.
Josh was first out at number 7 against Atila Koca. A nervous drive pulled left on the par 5 first was not the best start, but Josh played steadily to be only one down after 5, getting it back to all square with a good par on 6. I did not see him again until hole 14 where he was 2 up, but some good play by Atila and Josh was 1 up going down 18. Unfortunately a drive, pulled left into the trees, resulted in a loss on the 18th and the match was squared. Talking afterwards, Atila complemented Josh on his driving and apparently he only missed two fairways, the first and the last.
Jackson Szyszlak has had a great start to the season winning all three of his matches so far. So was promoted up the order to number 6, against the very experienced Chris Watson. Jackson started slowly, losing the first two holes, but then won 3 and 4 to get it back to square. From there the match was very tight with Jackson turning 1 up. From there some very good play and Jackson took control of the match, apart from a hiccup on the short par 3 14th, to win the match 3 and 1.
Cory Baker, with Steve Berridge on the bag, played at number 5 this week against Shaun Dawson. This was a very tight match with very little in it either way. Cory was 1 up after 3, but a lost ball on the tight par 4 fourth had the match square again. That was how the match stayed all the way to hole 14 where Cory made a great up and down from the greenside bunker for a half after his opponent had hit a great shot onto the green. However from there a couple of wayward shots, including into the car park on the par 5 16th, and Cory eventually lost 2 and 1.
David Humphries, had Jake Von Bertouch on the bag, and after a successful first game last week played at number 4 this week against John Filmalter. David hit a great drive down one, the first of the team to hit the fairway and he made birdie. Some solid play and pars and he was 4 up after 7 and 3 up at the turn. From there John started to play better and was 2 behind after 14 and eventually the match was all square on 17 after David’s second shot from the fairway bunker found the water. I was pleased to catch up with him on 18 to find he had won the hole and the match 1 up.
At this stage two and half matches in with three matches still to come where they had been very even after 9 holes.
Ryan Sugars, with his father as caddy and controller of the remote buggy, played at number 3 this week against another very experienced Bonnar player, Barry Smith. Ryan was off to a great start and was 1 up after 3, but a lost ball on number 4 and the match was square. In a very tight match, it was still all square after 9. A pulled drive left on the par 3 14th and Ryan was 2 down. A great conceded 3 on the par 4 17th and Ryan went down 18, 1 down. A pulled tee shot into the trees and chip out had him in trouble with his opponent safely on the green for two. A magnificent pitch to inside a metre was not enough to win the hole which was halved in fours. A 1 down loss and now two and half wins each.
Craig Brown, with Paul Thomas as caddy, played at number 2 this week against Chantha Kong. Craig started well and was 2 up after 4 and 1 up after 5. On 6 he caught a flyer from the light rough and his pitch shot flew the green. The subsequent bogey had the match back to square. Again this match was tight all day, Craig turned one down, was two down at 14 but got it back to square on 17. Unfortunately he pulled his drive on 18 and hit a tree to finish on the 17th fairway. Chantha was also in trouble but hit a great hook shot into the greenside bunker from where he got up and down to win the match 1 up.
The best we could hope for at this stage was a drawn match.
Bonnar Captain, Tim Cece, with Tyson Settre on the bag played at number 1 this week against another very good player in Alex Martinson. Tim didn’t have the best of days and was 3 down after 6. He told me he was struggling to read the greens. However he did rally and managed to turn only 1 down. Unfortunately that was where it ended, Tim eventually losing 4 and 3.
A disappointing loss, four and half matches to two and a half. We have now changed places with North Adelaide dropping to second on the table.
Next week another tough assignment playing Tea Tree Gully at Tea Tree Gully off the first tee at 11.15am.
Kym Linke
Team Manager