Omaha Team Off To Australia

Saturday, Oct 6, 2007

Neville Snooks, Paul and Ann Marie Elsden, and PGA Professional Paul Reid

The first Holden Scramble Regional Final was held at the Akarana Golf Club in early October, and it was the Omaha team that came out on top on what was an eventful day, weather-wise. Most teams had played about 14 holes when the thunderstorm struck, and in a flash the course was under water. A delay of about 80 minutes occurred, and in that time the water runoff was good enough to get back out there and try to finish. Back came the ugly weather but to the credit of the teams they got it done with some great scoring. The superb condition of the Akarana course was also a huge contributing factor to the quick recovery.

The winning Omaha team of Neville Snooks, Paul and Ann Marie Elsden, captained by PGA Professional Paul Reid, put together a flawless round of nine pars and nine birdies. Starting from the eighth hole with a birdie 2, they added another birdie on the 10th, before reeling off four in a row from 12 to 15. Some steady pars followed before more birdies on the 1st and 2nd, and a final one on their last hole. Their gross 61 netted them an excellent score of 55.25, more than two shots clear of second place. This was the first final under the new format, where everyone tees off but only three hit from each position during the play of the hole. The advantage at this level is that the team has now been joined by a Professional. Paul Reid was simply helping out both the Omaha Golf Club and his PGA at the local event, but his team could not be more pleased with him being their steadying influence at Akarana and they are of course looking forward to the final.

So now passports are being checked and plans are in place for this team to head off to the Twin Waters Resort in Queensland for the Championship Final. They will be joined by five other teams from finals that will be played over the next few weeks.

Top Five Teams

1st OMAHA: PAUL REID, Neville Snooks, Paul and Ann Marie Elsden, 61 - 5.75 - 55.25

2nd MANGAWHIA #1: JAMES PEARSON, Kevin, Peter and Michael Robinson, 62 - 4.63 - 57.37

3rd CLARKS BEACH #3: PETER HAY, Alistair Baker, Barry Parker, Gordon Douglas, 65 - 6.88 - 58.12

4th FORMOSA #2: STEVE HANCOCK, Willie Martin, Allan Taylor, Robyn Heta, 64 - 5.0 - 59.0

5th KERIKERI: BRUCE SOLAND, Kevin Eastlake, Warrenn Mulcahy, Anton Coetzee, 64 - 4.88 - 59.12

< Back