Bilney and Williams Three-Peat

25/6/2017

Darren Bilney and Anthony Williams have taken out Golf South East’s Foursomes Championships for the third year in a row in an absorbing contest that went down to the last hole. It wasn’t a stroll in the park for the defending champions as they came up against the formidable Naracoorte top ranked duo of Richard Barnes and James Norcock. The title was only decided by one shot in the end, with Williams and Bilney finishing with 115 off the stick, only seven over par.

The agonising one shot defeat was the fourth time Norcock had been runner up in the past month, having recently finished behind Barnes in their own Club Championship. To add salt into the wounds, he also took home the runner up prize in the raffle. It was really a two horse race with the next pair a further ten shots back.

Third place was taken out by Joe Clements and Jeff Hodge, who were the best of the next lot.

A solid field of 18 teams took part in the annual foursome’s event, which Golf South East is hoping will pick up in popularity.

In the handicap division, locals Shane Anderson and Samuel Hill were the winners with their impressive score of 108 ½. They were clearly the best nett winners, two strokes in front of the Millicent pair of Andy Varcoe and Ben Goulding on 110 ½ .The current Penola foursomes champions, Johnny Wilkinson and Peter Walker were only ¼ shot further back, completing a good fortnight in third position.

The best of the nearest the pins was Mick Rookas on the 7th, who was only 2 inches away from scoring an ace. Fortunately, his team mate made the putt.

The event now in its third year is gathering momentum, with alternate stroke format difficult to score under par around the tight Penola layout. Bilney and Williams may have a monopoly on the title for the moment, but one thinks it might be a more difficult challenge in 2018.