Handidap Day Results - Dec 13 2009

BRG Handicap Day - December 13 2009 - Goonawarra

The 13th and final Victorian Bushranger Golf Handicap Day for 2009 was held at Goonawarra  Golf Club in overcast but calm conditions with rain threatening but never interfering. It was a massive day as the Victorian BRG Player of the Year was up for grabs and there were still four players in the hunt who could take out the title. Defending Champion Matthew Thomas (Thommo) teed up in the final group with Big Dave Regenspurger (The Hamburglar), Richard "Quigley" Fellner and Massive Mick Van Raay, aka "Da King". When they teed off, there were a myriad of potential outcomes with a four way tie for the POY a mathematical possibility. Essentially, Dave had the lead by a single point and it was up to the others to shoot a great round to make up the gap.

Meanwhile, 24 other Bushrangers teed off to amuse themselves for the final time in 2009 and work up an appetite for the post-golf BBQ. Above is the first group away sizing up the challenge on the par three 4th hole and below is third group away preparing themselves on the first tee: Adam Rudd, Steve Dorning, Ivan Jones (a touring Bushranger all the way from Perth) and Brendan Fink. With the wind barely a factor, the bushrangers enjoyed a feast of stableford points and nearly half the field managed to get under par with a record eight players tied in seventh place on 37 points. At the top of the leader-board when the dust had settled was the marvellous Richard Mitchell with a sublime round of 45 points to leave the field in his wake. Rob Lugton continued his great end-of-season form to take second with 42 points.

However it was the POY points where all the action took place. Tied for third in the Handicap Day on 41 points were BRG impresario Matthew Pitt and POY contender Richard Fellner. This meant Richard added a single point to his annual tally to join leader Dave Regenspurger at the top of the POY leader-board. For the second year running the POY was not decided until the final putt was holed on the final hole. If Richard had taken one more shot he would've been tied for second in the POY. As it was, the two were left tied at the top of the table and with no count-backs for the POY title, they share the award as the best Victorian Bushrangers for 2009. Below are the final results.

Above is Richard Mitchell celebrating his win at the presentation ceremony and below are the novelty prize winners on the day.

Click here to check out the Bushranger Golf Picasa Galleries including shots from Goonawarra.

Below we see the Player of the Year winners, Richard Fellner and David Regenspurger, posing proudly with their booty after the presentation, including the new POY trophy created by member Roger Brown.

The next BRG event will be the first Handicap Day for 2010 on Sunday January 17 at Yering Meadows.