18th Nearly Australian Open

After plenty of preparation, postponements and pull outs, the 18th Nearly Australian Open finally got under way in perfect conditions at The National Golf Club Old Course on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula. A record 8 Rookies lined up for their 1st start in a NPGA event and with 3 past champions, all was set for a sensational Nearly Open.

Round 1 saw 2006 Champion n Lachy Corbett take an early lead with a solid 35 points. Former multiple Champion Ray Balcomb was in 2nd spot with 32 followed by rookies Jeff Williams & Tim Griffin on 31. At the other end of the table, Rookie Noel Carroll was "leadiing" the field with 19.

Round 2 headed to St Andrews Beach GC and Corbett again showed he was out to add to his title with a 31 to still lead the field with 66 but Scotty "Up and down specialist" Somerville was also showing good form with a 29/36 to be in 2nd place with 65 - at their heels were Ray Balcomb & Tim Griffin with 62 and then Michel Bouskila, David "Great 9" Epper & Jeff "Twinkle Toes" Williams on 61. Howver all the interest was on the dreaded Shirt of Shame - with them being "awarded" to Smokey Dawson & Dan "Friday Night" Sullivan with 47, Craig Ferguson 50 and Noel Carroll the lucky last with 51. All were Lucky not to be sent home!!!

Round 3 and back to The National and the Gunamatta Course. Controversy reared its head here with the tee selection - this combined with a very strong wind made the course very difficult. But in true Nearly fashion Scott Somerville showed his class with another 36 points to take the lead by 4 shots 101 - . Lachy Corbett was 2nd 97. The rest of the field had a big job to catch these guys with Ray Balcomb 94 and David Brocklehurst 90 making up the final group. The Ernest Shackleton had Noel Carroll leading with 30 followed by Smokey Dawson 29, Dan Sullivan 28 & Craig Fergson 24

Round 4 moved from the Mornington Peninsula courses closer to Melbourne and the highly acclaimed Peninsula Kingswood complex. Oustanding, Fantastic, Wow!!! Just some of the comments heard simply driving through the entrance from the Nearly boys... Certainly a great course to host the final round of a great Championship. The only touch of rain all week hit the 1st 3 holes but sunny weather prevailed for the rest of the round and so did the fantastic golf shown by our 2 leaders.

Lachy was in the groove with a senstaionlal 25 points around the front 9 but Scotty was not to be out done and had 20 points to trail by 1. Move ahead to the 12th and Scott leads by 2, the 13th saw Scott wipe the hole, Lachy 2 points and all square. 14th & 15th no change, all square and the tension rising. 16th saw both par the hole but with Scott getting a shot, he now led by 1. 17th is where - well thnk of the great golfing shots at Augusta, the Tiger chip on 16, the Bubba 2nd shot in the play off, Phils shot out of the straw - well the shot from Lachy will go down with these bar time yarns for years to come. After a wayward 2nd shot and a lost ball,

playing his 5th shot from 191m, drillls a 3 wood to 3 feet. Scott is on for 4 and putting for par and 2 putts for a 6, Lachy sinks his putt for an unbelievable 6 and rescues his tilt at the title but Scott still leads by 1. The 18th and both hit the fairway, Scott however loses his shot left and finds a fairway bunker. His 3rd shot then finds the greenside bunker - Lachy nails his 2nd shot to hit the green but has a long, downhill putt... Scott plays a good bunker shot onto the green as sits on 4 strokes. Lachy putts well but runs past the hole and sits precarioulsy on the top of a down hill slope for 3. Scott takes 2 putts for a 1 point 6 - Lachy, with the knowledge of the countback system (ask Matt Reilly) now has 2 putts to make a 2 point 5 and take the Championship. This he does and is crowned the 2022 Nearly Australian Open Champion. Commiserations goes to Scott, his last round of 37 points would win most Championships...Nearly.... A gracious and worthy Runnerup.

The other end saw Fergy Ferguson move up the ladder to win the Ernest Shackleton and Smokey "Give me a putting lesson" Dawson take home the Gentleman's Award.

Thanks goes to all the courses for their magnificent condition, Gary Lord for the wotk behind the scenes to get the group together, Peppers Moonah for their great hospitalty, service and accommodation, Charlie our driver and especially Peninsula Kiingswood for a wonderful venue to hold the final round - a course you MUST play when in Melbourne....