LUKE Streater shrugged off the disappointment of his club championship performance to take out the Northern NSW Regional Golf Championships played at Gunnedah on the weekend.
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Streater had to settle for runner-up in the local title behind arch rival Troy Dries but made amends by annexing the prestigious regional crown on a count-back from the Mid North Coast‘s Tim Hyland.
The pair fired two-over par totals of 142 with Streater’s 72-70 edging Hyland’s 70-72 under the count-back rules.
After an indifferent championships the previous weekend, Streater returned to something like his best and but for two three-puts on Sunday, was pleased with his performance.
His win gives him automatic entry to the 2015 NSW Open Championship in November to be played at the Greg Norman-designed Stonecutter’s Ridge Golf Club in Coleby, 45 minutes north-west of Sydney.
It will present a great opportunity for Streater to test his mettle against some of the best golfers on the Australasian circuit.
Hyland, the unlucky player on the weekend, will get a second crack at qualifying at a Coffs Harbour event in the coming weeks.
The tournament attracted some of the best golfers from throughout the region with competitors coming from as far as the Mid North Coast.
The Woolgoolga Golf Club sent 12 players for the weekend.
Mid North Coast took out the District Teams event from Central North which comprised Streater and Shane Wilson who also had a fine tournament, firing rounds of 74-77.
Longyard golfer Richie McGhie took out the Veterans trophy for the weekend with Walcha youngster Andrew Brennan claiming the Juniors crown.
Nationals Member for Tamworth Kevin Anderson was on hand to help with the presentation as was Bernard Bratusa, government relations and communications manager for Golf NSW.
Both were loud in their praise of the condition of the course turned out by head groundsman Ian Elphick and his team for the weekend.
Bratusa told event’s organisers and players that the aim of Golf NSW was to “return golf to the country” and make the sport one of the showpieces for NSW.
Naturally Gunnedah golfers, who made up a large portion of the two-day field, figured prominently in the prizes.
On Saturday Ian Jordan won A grade on a count-back from Danny Jones while Steve Johnston edged Steve Howard in C grade, also on a count-back while Shane Wilson was runner-up in A grade, also on a count-back.
Luke Streater was runner-up in A grade on Sunday while Mick Osmond took out B grade from Jason Perrett and Barry Dries got the watch in C grade from John Stanley.
John Stanley won the 36-hole nett in C grade from Phil Donnelly, Jason Perrett took out the B grade nett from Mick Osmond and Kevin Gallagher while Shane Wilson took the A grade trophy.
Luke Streater, Mick Osmond, Jason Perrett, Barry Dries and John Stanley all won nett trophies on Sunday.
In the 36-hole scratch, Danny Jones won the B grade prize with Peter Henderson finishing third, Geoff Doubleday took out the C grade division from Steve Howard and Steve Johnston.