Dubbo Golf Club may have suffered a painful defeat to Duntryleague on the weekend and now faces a “must win” match next time out in the Central West District Golf Association pennants division one competition, but captain Michael Wherritt isn’t letting his side get too disappointed.
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In the five matches against Duntryleague at Orange’s Wentworth Golf Club on Sunday, Dubbo players led after 14 holes in each one.
Despite that, the Orange powerhouse went on to win 3 and 2 and put Dubbo’s plans of making it out of pool A under all sorts of pressure.
Playing in what has been dubbed the ‘pool of death’, Dubbo now needs a win over defending champions Mudgee in two weeks to keep its hopes of pennants glory alive.
“There’s not much you can do about it,” Wherritt said after seeing the match against Duntryleague slip away.
“It’s fractionally disappointing but in the end it is only a game. No one went out there and didn’t try.”
It’s fractionally disappointing but in the end it is only a game.
- Dubbo captain Michael Wherritt
In a contest that will take something special to be beaten as best match-up of the competition, Duntryleague was led by Dave Corby, Rob Parfett and champion Robert Payne, who defeated Chris Schubert, Wherritt and Ross Horrocks respectively.
Corby downed Schubert on the 20th hole while the other two matches were decided on the 18th.
Nick Coggan continued his fine start to the season with victory over Tyson Lane, while Matt Gleeson scored a 5 and 3 win over Wentworth Open winner Craig Stojanovic.
“Ross lost to ‘Payney’ but he still played really well. He went around in about -2 or -3,” Wherritt said.
“Matt Gleeson had a win in his first time in and ‘Coggo’ won his second match and he’s playing really well.”
While Wherritt wasn’t getting too caught up in the result, Duntryleague’s Payne said his side took a huge amount from the result.
“We should have lost 5-0,” Payne said.
“This is a real confidence builder for our team. We haven’t got our strongest team playing, but we all want to be there and want to play.
“Circumstances change and we’ve got a different side in next week, but it’s who plays well on the day.
“We played the last three holes better than (Dubbo). It’s a roll of the ball, we’re thrilled to get out of there (with the win).”
Mudgee, playing its first match after a round one bye, comfortably accounted for Wellington in the other pool A match.
Star player Mark Hale was among the players who scored a win in that battle and he and his club now stand in the way of Dubbo.
Wherritt’s side has the bye this weekend, due to the matches being played at Dubbo Golf Club, before a clash with Mudgee at Wellington.
“That’s a must win situation,” Wherritt said, before again giving an example of his relaxed attitude.
“But we’ll go out and hit some balls and see how we go.”
Dubbo’s division two and three sides enjoyed wins over Orange Ex-Services, meaning they remain undefeated and on track for the finals heading into the bye.
The division 4 side defeated Ex-Services via a forfeit to also remain unbeaten.
“It’s good for all divisions and we’ve got really strong divisions two, three and four,” Wherritt said.
“We all get on a bus when playing away and have a beer together on the way back. We all enjoy each other’s company, win or lose.
“It’s more about you react and hopefully we do better next time.”
PENNANTS
ROUND 2
Pool A
RESULTS for Sunday, February 11
At Wentworth Golf Club
DIVISION ONE:
DUNTRYLEAGUE 3 def DUBBO 2:
Duntryleague: Dave Corby def C Schubert 20th, R Parfett def M Wherritt 1up, R Payne def R Horrocks 1up; Dubbo: N Coggan def T Lane 2 and 1, M Gleeson def C Stojanovic 5 and 3.
MUDGEE 4 def WELLINGTON 1:
Mudgee: John Osborn def Elton Keeffe 1up, Matt Stanley def Mitch Cusack 1up, Josh Campbell def Kurt Cusack 5 and 4, Mark Hale def Darren Whiteley 7 and 6; Wellington: James Cusack def Andrew Best 3 and 2.
DIVISION TWO:
DUBBO 3 def EX-SERVICES 2:
Dubbo: Shannon Button def Craig Sharwood 5 and 4, Aaron Etcell def Eddy Knight 5 and 4, Mitch Davison def Jon Sangster 2 and 1; Ex-Services: Tremayn Power def Jim McDonald 1up on 19th, Gavin Hassan def Nathan Munro 2up.
MUDGEE 5 def WELLINGTON 0:
Mudgee: Terry Ford def David Naurli 2up, Peter Best def David O’Brien 4 and 2, Fabian Wright def Russell Gersbach 3 and 2, Mick Kelly def Rob Baker 5 and 4, Graeme Kurtz def Grort Stephans 1up; Wellington: nil.
DIVISION THREE:
DUBBO 4 def EX-SERVICES 4-1:
Dubbo: Mick Dunn def Jason Watmore 6 and 4, Todd Richards def John Connolly 3 and 1, Doug Medcalf def Rob Milhalovic 5 and 4, Zac Duffy def Ray Jones 1up; Ex-Services: Steve Sielicki def Ben Taylor 4 and 3.
WELLINGTON 3 def MUGDEE 2:
Wellington: Kerian Baker def Owen Stait 6 and 4, Rod McMahon def Tim Evans 4 and 2, Fletch Ivey def Matt Blyton 6 and 4; Mudgee: Peter Hickman def Danial Baxter 1up, Bruce Tilley def Kev Reid 1up.
DIVISION FOUR:
WELLINGTON 4 def MUDGEE 1:
Wellington: Jim Armstrong def I Rhodes 6up, Rod Cunynghame def J Griffiths 2up, Gory McNaughton def K Anderson 3 and 2, Rod Irwin def W Tiggemann 3 and 2; Mudgee: D Freestone 4 def James Draw 4 and 3.
DUBBO def EX-SERVICES on forfeit.