Putt for doe: Victorian Women’s Par 3 Championship winner Jacqueline Baker on the first hole during her five over round of 59 on Sunday, which secured her a one-shot victory after she trailed golf prodigy Arena Tran by one shot overnight. Kyabram’s Parkland Golf Club was again the host of the event and has the men’s event this weekend.
Fifteen Kyabram golfers will contest this weekend’s Victorian Par 3 Championship for men, a week after Peninsula-Kingswood Golf Club’s Jacqueline Baker was named the state women’s Par 3 champion for 2023.
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Baker shot a five over par 59 on day two of the championships, on Sunday morning, finishing with a two-round total of 125 to claim the title by a shot from Riverside Golf Club teenager Arena Tran.
The pair finished more than a dozen shots ahead of Kyabram’s Jess Scapin (off a handicap of 10), who finished fourth with a pair of 70 (16 over) rounds in the event.
Tran, who is a regular Golf Victorian representative, led Baker by a shot after round one. She shared the lead with Wodonga’s Madison Peters after the first round.
Spoils of victory: Baker with the perpetual shield which was presented after Sunday’s second round. Kyabram’s Jess Scapin finished fourth in the event.
All three played great golf in front of a large gallery following on Sunday, as golfers from 16 Victorian clubs contested the final round of the Kyabram Club sponsored championship field.
Baker’s low round of the tournament was enough to score the win, Tran shooting a seven over 61 and Peters 62.
Kyabram’s Nola Arnold and Lana McInnes finished 30 shots behind the leader, in equal 15th, while Kathy Bell and Faye Glover were also top 20 finishers.
In the net event (awarded on stableford points), Cathie Johnston took the lead with 34 points and 63 total ahead of Nola Arnold with 62 points total.
Two-time Victorian Men’s Par 3 Championship winner Nathan Schneider, from Thurgoona, will head the field this weekend.
He won the title back to back in 2011-2012 and will not have last year’s victor Harry Goakes to contend with in 2023. Goakes won the title last year after two play-off holes, but is not in the field.
Runner-up: Riversdale Golf Club teenager Arena Tran had the overnight lead in the state par 3 championship at Kyabram’s Parkland Golf Club on Saturday, but had a seven over 61 on day two and finished runner-up.
Current champion Jason McKenzie is also absent from the 90-strong field, with single figure handicapper Peter Barrette probably Kyabram’s best chance at keeping the title in Kyabram.
Clifton Springs PGA professional Dane Manson will be in the field, but he is ineligible to win the title.
Manson is travelling to the event with two amateur golfing friends from the Clifton Springs club, David Woods and Joel Nairn.
Round one of the 54-hole competition will start at 8.30am on Saturday, with the second round at 12.30pm the same day and the final round at 9am on Sunday.
Other Kyabram Parkland Golf Club members in the field include Bruce Walkden, Mick Crompton, Kayne Crompton, Michael Turnbull, Tim Nelson, John Thompson, Rohan Gentle, Andrew Phillips, Robert Smith, Terry McCormick, Mick McInnes, Andrew Cleary, Darren Baird, Vaughan Moss, Scott McLennan, Luca Campanelli, Steve Walsh and Gerhard Saayman.
Jarred Baker from Valley View Golf Club is also in the field.
Full details of the event inside next week’s Free Press.
