KATE McMahon has won her second Ballarat District Golf Association 54-hole open championship after an extended layoff from the game.
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McMahon overcame a sore back and a five-shot deficit to steal victory from eight-time women’s scratch champion Helen Pascoe at Ballarat Golf Club on Monday.
The 2013 champion shot a final round 79 in difficult conditions, with scores of 85 (at Midlands) and 78 (at Buninyong) enough to secure a one-shot (242-243) win over Pascoe, who posted 85 over her final 18 holes.
“The last three years my golf has been somewhat limited,” McMahon said.
“I struggled with a back injury for a large part of last year and I haven’t played a lot of golf in the last 12 months.
“I came into this weekend with a back injury and had that treated on Friday and spent most of the day flat on the lounge room floor.”
McMahon, who hits off a four handicap, plans to continue playing on a weekly basis this year in a bid to return to her former handicap of two.
Meanwhile, Craig Boucher held off Mount Xavier’s Darren Bowman to take out his 14th men’s scratch title.
Boucher couldn’t reproduce his second round magic that led to an eight under round of 64 at Buninyong, instead shooting 75 to win by three with a total of 212.
“It was a good relief to scrape in on the way home,” he said.
“I was cruising along until I double bogeyed 15 and that made me pull my head in and knuckle down.”
“This one was right up there – it was a big thing to have a round like (the second round) that to set up a chance of winning.”
BDGA president Wayne Hines said the tournament had been well received by golfers across the region, with all three courses presented in perfect condition.
michael.pollock@fairfaxmedia.com.au
SCORES
MEN
SCRATCH: Craig Boucher 212, Darren Bowman 215, Callan Stone 223, Corey Haase 224
A GRADE NETT: Darren Bowman 215 on countback, Craig Boucher, Callan Stone 220, Kelly Lyle, Bevan Morton, Joel Anstis
B GRADE STABLEFORD: Lachlan Hewitt 110, Nick Canny 107, Sam Kozaria, Matt Upton
C GRADE STABLEFORD: Colin Orr 111, Jarrod Collins 106, Phillip Packham 105
WOMEN
SCRATCH: Kate McMahon 242, Helen Pascoe 243, Jill Morrison 257
A GRADE STABLEFORD: Pauline Murphy 104, Joan Fraser 98, Kate McMahon, Jill Morrison 97
B GRADE STABLEFORD: Adrianna Cunnington 108, Christine Simmons 106, Noel Sampson 92, Cheryl Turner
