HAMILTON Golf Club is celebrating its club champions for 2024 with repeat victories in both the men’s and women’s A grade competitions, as Wayne Riddle and Molly O’Brien successfully defended their 2023 championship wins.

This is third championship in succession for Riddle, who earlier in his career had been runner-up four times, while O’Brien was celebrating back-to-back wins.

Club championships at golf clubs are normally played over four rounds of stroke play, and after the first three rounds in the men’s A grade, Riddle held a one-shot lead over Graham Rentsch and Liam Powell, with Mal Groves a further three shots back.

In Sunday’s final round, Riddle had extended his lead to two shots after the front nine holes, but Powell had birdies on the 10th and the 11th holes to take the lead by a shot over Riddle.

It was consistent golf from Riddle over the closing seven holes with six pars and a bogie, while Powell had a horror final six holes filled with bogies, double-bogies and a triple-bogie that gave Riddle a seven-shot win over Powell.

Groves finished one shot further back in third place and Rentsch was fourth.

“I took up golf when I was 14 years old and brought my handicap down to two or three, within 27 months of taking the sport up,’” Riddle said.

“When I was younger, I used to see all the names up on the honour board in the clubhouse and I wanted my name up there too.

“Now it’s there three years running, and I want to add to it again.

“I’m happy with how I played this year, as it was consistent golf that got me home in the end, as Liam (Powell) pushed me over the last nine holes.

“I’ll keep playing as long as possible and hopefully keep producing consistent golf.”

In the women’s championships, O’Brien started the final round eight shots ahead of Kerryn Price, but Price played steady golf, getting within three shots of the lead after the front nine was played on Sunday.

Price continued to play well on the homeward nine holes and with two left to play, she had narrowed the margin to one shot, however O’Brien stayed steady on the last two holes to end up claiming a five-shot win.

“I’m really happy with this win, as it makes back-to-back championships after winning last year,” O’Brien said.

“Kerryn was only a shot behind with two holes to play, but I was able to par the 17th, while she had a little trouble and a three-shot lead opened with one to play, so it made the last a lot easier to play.

“I took up golf during COVID-19 as we couldn’t play basketball or netball and I started with a handicap of over 20 and now I’m at four.

“Now that I can play the other sports again, I like to get on course nearly every day to practice an aspect of the game, be it short game, putting, long game.”

In the lower grades, Stuart McAdam (B grade), Stephen Giles (C grade), and Brendan Lang (D grade) were successful in the men’s competitions, while Sue Vickery (B grade), Pam Howell (C grade), and Helen Beattie (D grade) topped the women’s leaderboards, with Beattie having to win a play-off against Eileen Robertson that took three holes to separate the pair.