By
WGCDR Trevor Owens
Navy
golfer LEUT Andrei Ezergailis (HMAS Stirling) has holed his fourth
successive ADF Golf Association national championship with a runaway
seven-shot win at the Federal Golf Club in Canberra last December.
LEUT Ezergailis carded the only sub-par rounds of the 72-hole
tournament with a 67 and 68 in the first and third rounds.
He added a pair of 76s in the remaining rounds and it almost seems
he is now in a class of his own in this tournament.
Prior to the tournament proper, a warm-up round was played with
the highlight being a 64 (five-under), shot by Gunner David Schwartz
(Army QLD). Unfortunately, he was unable to repeat that form in
the main event.
One-hundred-and-forty-four Service men and women from all states
of Australia contested the stroke play event, which incorporated
the single Service championship, the State teams championship
and the Service team championship.
Runner-up and Navy champion was CMDR Mike Rossendell (ADFPC-C),
with WO2 Geoff Skinner (Army QLD) taking out the Army championship.
LAC John Bell (RAAF Edinburgh) had a close win from SGT Mike Hofmeier
(1SQN) to become 2003 Air Force champion.
The national ladies’ champion was once again WOFF Lainie
Thorn (ADFPC-C), with FSGT Roelfina Jarvis (ALSPO Richmond) taking
home the ladies’ nett trophy.
The national nett championship was won convincingly by CAPT Kevin
White (3RAR) with the Navy, Army and Air Force nett champions
being LS Adam Moore (HMAS Stirling), MAJ Lyndon Blanchard (LHQ)
and FSGT Salty Pepper (ADFPC-C) respectively.
The Reservist/civilian events were won by CPL Pat Feary (RAAF
Wagga) and SGT Alf Hitchcock (RAAF Williamtown).
Much interest centred around the teams events, with the single
Service championship won by Army, while the Queensland
Combined Services side won the State teams championship.
Without Electroboard and C3I (Defence Watch) the event could not
be sustained. Additional support has been provided by Seaboats
Crew, Sun Microsystems, Ball Solutions and LOPAC, with first-time
sponsors The Good Guys Tuggeranong ably assisting with a fine
array of electrical goods in the prize schedule.
The 2004 event is scheduled to be played at the Federal Golf Club
from December 6-10. Entry forms will be available in July from
the ADFGA website (www.sportscentreoz.com/adfgaindex.htm).
