Round Norfolk Golf Tour summer comp 2019 round 26, The Grand Finale, took place at Sheringham on Thursday. It was the first time in tour history that 6 players were still in contention of winning the money list although with the other 5 competitions looking unlikely to change hands all focus was on just who would win today with points, birdies and blobs unlikely to matter.
To add to the drama the groups would be going out in reverse money list order. But first Bob had to undertake a fitness test to see if his back would hold up. This took place in the car park and was expected to be an intensive session. But after a single stretch of his arms above his head he declared himself fit and marched off to the practice area.
The first group headed to the first tee and although unlikely to win a season prize they were all in the running for todays £5 winners cheque which could also play a part in deciding on this years overall money list champion.
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| Sandie gets the final round of the season underway |
John B, Mike and Sandie all had solid if not spectacular opening 9s with 16,15 and 14 points respectively. Mike was struggling on the recently dressed and scarified greens with a number of 3 putts.
However although he only got one 3 pointer all round he did have a blob free round meaning he finished the year in second place for the lowest average blobs comp. His total of 29 points kept him off the podium today.
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| It was Mikes putting not driving that let him down today |
Sandie had a fairly similar experience and again only had the one 3 pointer as her second 9 also was worth 14 points for a 28 point total.
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| John describing his opening tee shot as he hit it |
John B was best placed but then lost the plot on the back 9 with 5 blobs. Sandie had been playing mind games with him suggesting to him that he talked a lot (really?) and he was unable to function with his gob shut. He finished in last place on 25 points.
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| Things turned nasty in the bar as Mike hits john in the face with an imaginary baseball bat |
The group behind featured Vince and Andrew who could both still win the money list with a win today and other results going their way. They both started with blobs which was one of 5 7's Vince had on the opening 9 but still had 14 pts.
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| Vince on the way to a 7 |
Andrew looked to have played himself out of contention with only 13 points on his opening 9.
However both players picked up on the back 9 and had 30 points after 17 holes before inexplicably both blobbing the last for their second blobs of the day as they came in on 30 points.
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| Andrew tying himself in knots as he drove off on the 3rd |
Jill, on the other hand, was on golfing fire, as she tamed the front 9 taking full advantage of the extra par 5s available to ladies. She had 21 points and a repeat of that on the back 9 would give her the best round of the year but more of that later.
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| Jill was on top of her game today |
The final group contained the real contenders for the money list prize and game faces were on. Greg Kevin and Bob were all scoring ok but none of them were at the top of their game with a few duffs, poor chips and missed putts mixed in with some good holes.
Greg was first to falter with a blob on the 4th and it looked like his chances of the money list were fading with only 14 halfway points.
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| Greg just stayed out of a 2nd fairway bunker and played a great shot on to the green |
Kevin needed to finish above Greg and all was looking good until the par 5 7th when he foolishly got his driver out putting it just short of the beach and OOB for the first of 3 blobs over the next 5 holes. The back 9 was only marginally better and with a total of 26 points he was now reliant on others if he was to lift the money list crown.
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| Kevin chips onto the first to secure his first point of the day |
As often happens it looked like Bob had also played his way out of contention before a Bob charge put him back in the running after 10 holes. However a visit to the bunker on the 11th and gorse bush on the 13th stalled his progress and only a good par on the final hole moved him away from bottom place to finish on 27 points. The money list victory that looked a shoe in before his back injury had slipped through his fingers.
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| Bob does well to get out of the long rough on the third for a 5. |
Chris just needed to win today and the title would be hers and she certainly meant business as she had a faultless 20 pts on the front 9. Although after the 3rd bonus par 5 for ladies Bob was heard to say "not another one" as Chris claimed a 6 for 2. It was most un Bob like as he immediately apologised for saying out loud.
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| Chris hits away from another hazzard she just avoided to enter. |
So by the time the payers had got halfway through the back nine there were only 3 players lefty who could win the title Kevin (if Jill could win and Greg stayed out the prizes), Greg (if he finished in top 3) or Chris (if she won outright).
Jill continued to play well and built on her opening 21 points with a blob free back 9. However her par, par finish made a real difference as she finished on 39 and was clear leader in the club house.
After Greg birdieded the 15th he had started to build a good score and was now playing match play with Chris. When she double bogeyed 16 and 17 there was only one point in it coming down the last.
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| Chris makes a good 2 putt on 14 as the tension mounted |
Chris secured the two point bogey need to beat greg with 35 points but not enough to win the day.
Greg's 19 point back 9 had moved him up to 3rd place with 33 (what were the rest of you up to!!!) meaning his £1 third prize put him back ahead of Kevin to win the big prize.
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| Greg's back 9 was best of the day |
He also won the average stableford points and lowest average blobs just missing out on the RNSG record on both.
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| Greg with one of his 3 trophies |
Bob won the Eclectic with a new record score.
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| Bob with his Eclectic trophy which funnily enough was twice as big as all the other trophies |
Kevin beat Andrew on countback for highest score of the season with 41 pts and set a new record to win the best 3 front and back 9's in July, August, September (and this year October).
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| Kevin with one of his best score trophies |
With presentations completed the prize winners pooled their winnings to pay for the traditional fish and chip end of season formal dinner where next year the black tie dress code will be expected to be followed.
Hopefully all tour members have enjoyed this years summer tour and as many as possible will be joining in on the winter tour when it starts at Flempton in mid November.
