THEA Kimber put a world of hurt on the ball when she smashed her tee shot on the 12th at Nambucca Heads Island Golf Course on Saturday to be sitting pretty 100 metres out from the green.
“How to muck up a great drive, hit your second shot,” the 24-marker quipped before doing exactly that, pulling her approach harder left than a rogue Labor faction, as she stumbled to a bogey five for a square in the Macksville Mitre 10 medley par which doubled as the final qualifying round of the Nambucca Skins sponsored by Chris Knight.
Pictured above: Thea Kimber winds up John Daly-like at the Nambucca Golf Course.
Geoffrey McCann (20) ended the day with plenty up his kilt after winning Div 2 and scoring the $80 Pro Pin on the last. McCann parred the potential game-changer holes of six and 17 and the only shadow on an otherwise sunny day was losing the Keno ticket.
Also returning plus-1 in Div 2 for the runner-up prize was Ross Morpuss (24).
Bar the gnashing of teeth of opportunity lost on the 12th, it was no Kimber Surprise as Thea’s round of plus-1 had her at the pointy end in the ball run.
Nearest the pins were claimed by Stuart Johnston on 5, Lyndee Thomas on 7, Keith Wallis on 8 and Nathan Ison on 15. Chris Knight hit it ever so tidy on 13 for the Pizza This Pizza That prize but didn’t even hit the hole with his short birdie jab while Ison drained the longest putt on the 1st for the Ecomist prize pack.
Dennis Ashton with the spoils after winning the latest National Handiskins heat at The Island.
Andrew ‘Scoon’ Donovan (17) wasn’t content with winning the Macksville Mitre 10 medley stableford on Thursday 23 July, noting the hot score was compiled in the presence of sea-anchor company who both failed to interest the scorecard-checker.
Donovan’s round included six pars as he headed home runner-up Ken Klem (8) on 35 points.
David Bartos (21) – the first part of his surname setting him up for many years pulling beers at The Island – had the hoppiest round of the day with 38 points to salute in Div 2, one better than Neil Duffus (23).
Garry ‘Psycho’ Thurlow binned the putt from afar on the opener and pins went to Clinton Lavender on 5, Bernard Dugdale on 7, Ross Morpuss on 8 and Klem on 15. Stephen Doherty scored one of the best pizzas you’ll find on the North Coast after cooking it close on 13 and Drew Glasson pocketed $61 with the 18th Pro Pin.
Regular prize table-botherer Denise Paluch (14) returned 37 points including birdies on 5 and 10 to win Div 1 of the single stableford women’s comp on Wednesday 22 July which served as a qualifying round for the Top 10.
One back was Elizabeth Hobday (13) who marked back-to-back birds on her card on 15 and 16.
Bowraville’s Marilyn McNally (29) was too good in Div 2 from runner-up, the fast-improving Cheryl Fortescue (35) on 33.
Pins on the 5th were shared by Paluch and Deb Booth, Dianne O’Leary was nearest on 13 and Hobday capped the outing with the $37 Pro Pin on the last.
Deb Booth watches her tee shot on 14.
Greenkeeping team staffer Dan Wren (11) found some time off from blade-running with an excellent 77 off the stick to win the Tuesday Challenge stroke round on 21 July.
Wren’s round included nine pars and a bird on the temporarily shortened 16th.
Craig Riddington (once was 23) had a screamer with 63 to annihilate the nett prize.
Flag-embracers were Paddy Byrne on 5, Stephen Kimber on 8 and Georgina Riddington had something to bring to the dinner table conversation after scoring the $33 Pro Pin on the 18th.
Catchya on The Island where the restaurant specials’ board keeps everything as fresh as the briny smell of the Nambucca River from the beer garden deck.