PORTLAND Golf Club hosted the Western District Golf Association’s men’s, women’s and mixed pennant finals across Sunday and yesterday, with the club’s division three men’s pennant side secured a strong victory during Sunday’s scratch final, beating Grampians in the decider 5-2.

Unfortunately for Portland, their division one side wasn’t able to create their success, defeated 5-2 by Warrnambool in what was nonetheless a great return to form for a side which last season was battling it out to earn promotion from division two.

Division three captain and Portland club captain Andrew ‘Rocky’ McMillan said the team had been able to cap off what was a very successful campaign for the side.

“We went through the pennant season undefeated, we won every match for the year,” McMillan said.

“We had a pretty strong team and we only used nine players total for the season, one week we had a couple away, so those fill-ins stepped up but other than that it was the same seven all the way through.

“So, it was a stable team, and they were all very solid in the way they played.

“The final was a lot closer than a 5-2 scoreline might suggest, every game was close.

“We probably benefitted a bit from home field advantage, especially as Grampians play on sand scrape whereas we play on greens – greens are a lot faster than what they would be used to.”

McMillan said one of the best aspects of the competition as a whole was that it offered players the opportunity to play at some new and interesting courses throughout the season.

“Peterborough and Dunkeld were both very scenic courses, while East Framlingham was a real country sort of course, they all threw up their own challenges,” he said.

With this win the team as earned promotion into division two of the WDGA’s pennant competition, which McMillan said would throw a new challenge their way.

“You have to remember there’s a team in division two which will have just recently been relegated from division one, and as we’re coming up from division three that will be a real challenge for us,” he said.

“Most of us play on a handicap of 7-12, so we’re good golfers but not quite like the guys up there who play off scratch.”

McMillan said it was a great opportunity for the club to host this year’s pennant grand final, as its an occasion which only comes around once in a while given how many clubs are in the association.

“It was a great turnout across both days, and the greenskeeper along with the volunteers who got the place ready deserve massive credit, it presented exceptionally.”

Portland Golf Club division three scratch premiership team

Andrew ‘Rocky’ McMillan (c)

Brad Tozer

Terry Chapman

Andrew Brough

Lee Anderson

Richard Clark

Pat Withers