Golf champs hazard wet

By Andrew Stackpool

Former Air Force golfing champion FLTLT Justin Mangan putts out during the national championships.

Photo by PTE Shannon Joyce

WEATHER conditions could not match the fine course conditions at the ADF Golf Association’s national championships.

The competition was played at Canberra’s Federal Golf Club early last December with 138 golfers keen to show their form.

Tournament Director Wing Commander Trevor Owens said the daily dose of bad summer electrical storms played havoc with the tournament timings.

“The match committee came very close to abandoning the last round, but this would have denied the eventual ADF champion – Army’s Corporal Steve Rotherham – a much deserved win.”

CPL Rotherham had a tournament- long battle with Private Damian Jordan, who held the tournament lead after each of the first three rounds with scores of 72, 70 (2 under) and 77.

In a head-tohead tussle in the very trying last round conditions, CPL Rotherham fired a par round of 72 against PTE Jordan’s 79 to take the ADF title by five shots.

PTE Jordan emerged as Army champion, while Lieutenant Andrei Ezergailis and Corporal Craig Melville took their respective service championships. Air Force players performed with distinction in other categories.

Corporal Cynarra Wheatley from RAAF Base Williamtown was the runaway winner of the ladies championship with Flying Officer Zalie Munro-Rustean from No. 1 Squadron taking out the ladies nett event.

The ADF regional handicap championship went to Flight Sergeant John Curley from No. 10 Squadron.

The 2005 event has been scheduled for December 5-9.

Information packages and entry forms will be released in early July through ADFGA regional representatives and via the ADFGA web site www.sportscentreoz.com/adfgaindex.htm.

.