Murray captures Ballarat golf championship

IN A HARD-fought comeback, Luke Murray captured Ballarat Golf Club's A grade club championship on the 37th hole yesterday.Play was almost as tight for club captain Pauline Murphy, who finished one shot up against Jenny Forbes for the Alice Coltman Cup.Murray's match-play grand final against long-time rival Chris Schiltz capped off a big afternoon on the greens.The match had been billed as a major showdown between the club's two stars, and it lived up to expectations.Schiltz, a three-time club champion, led by as much as five shots against Murray, who gradually pegged him back.Murray said it felt surreal to finally hold a club trophy for the first time in seven years."I'm speechless. I was not expecting to win," Murray said, stepping off the course. "My nerves were pretty good on that last hole ? I just wanted to get the job done." Murray was spurred on by daughter Davin, who was confident her dad would bring her home the trophy.Davin and her mum Jamie followed Murray every step of the way in a golf buggy.For Murphy, yesterday's win marked her fourth A-grade club champion title ? and it was still just as exciting as the first."I'm thrilled, very happy," Murphy said."My congratulations to Jenny (Forbes) because we were neck-and-neck to the last hole."It's amazing to win on our new course."Leigh Mitchell defeated neighbour Steve Ryan, 4/3 for his first men's B-grade title while Bob LeMarshall, 5/3, was too strong for Trevor Pyke in C-grade, and John Seery claimed a 3/2 win against Al Divitto in the D-grade.Long-time member Jill Dunne claimed the women's B-grade title against Carolyn Sertori.Golf rookie Julie Sewell, in her second attempt at match play, won her first title in C-grade. She edged out Sue Howie by two shots with one hole to go