Round 3 of the Sanderson Cup saw a top of the table challenge between The Grange and Royal Adelaide at Kooyonga.
Previously undefeated, The Grange were keen to continue their winning streak.
The Grange took an early lead with three players up, one square and one player down -1. As the game evolved and players settled into the conditions and the course, The Grange were keeping their lead in toe.
Millie was in command at 3+ after four holes and continued her lead throughout the day, rarely dropping a hole.
On the 6th hole, Mia overshot the green and rolled off the back, leaving a challenging uphill putt with a significant break. After plenty of discussion with dad, Mia confidently judged the line and executed her shot perfectly, narrowing the position to only one down. Moving to the 7th, Caitlin and their partner both birdied, halving the hole with their match at square.
The 9th hole saw Elyse deliver a beautiful bunker shot onto the green followed by an easy two-putt, propelling her into a 1+ lead. Shortly after, Steph arrived at the 9th, landing a brilliant third shot onto the elevated green and sinking a 1.5-foot putt to go 3+ up.
After the turn, Caitlin really found her rhythm and finished with a 5&3 victory on the 15th hole. Birdies on the 7th, 10th, 11th, and 15th boosted Caitlin’s confidence and helped secure a solid win home. Meanwhile, Mia edged ahead on the back nine, holding a 1+ lead before losing the 17th hole. That set up a dramatic showdown on the 18th with friendly rival, Adele Wang. Mia’s impressive drive and second shot struck the pin, rolling to the back of the green and putting her in an ideal spot to clinch the match, giving Mia a 1 up victory.
By this stage, The Grange had three wins secured, with Steph’s hot putter delivering a 5&4 result on the 14th. Millie maintained her commanding lead, sealing her match 3&2 on the 16th.
With four wins already tallied, Elyse approached the 18th in what had been touted as the match of the day against Fiona Morrison. In the lead up, Ben Hook’s Pennant Podcast had predicted a tight contest.
Elyse’s fantastic drive finished 15 metres off the green. While the details of the final putts are a bit hazy, the result was clear. Elyse finished 1 up, giving The Grange a clean sweep with five wins out of five, firmly cementing their position at the top of the ladder with three wins from three matches.
One minor round match remains at Glenelg against Blackwood on 19th April – let’s aim for the perfect season! Outstanding effort from the team and a big thank you to the caddies who supported everyone on the day – Paul Corrick, Nadine Hill, Lawrie Kozlovic, Luke Luey, and Alan Roberts.
Sharyn Simes
Sanderson Team Manager