Golf Vic Vol 60 No 3 2019

On the sixth, they both blocked their drives to the right and what happened next was both crucial to the result and a comment on the young, swashbuckling modern game. Collyer’s ball was under a tree, requiring him to play a big slice with a restricted swing from about 160 metres out, which he did brilliantly, leaving him a 15-metre putt for birdie. Sanchez’s drive was in dire trouble and when he took a low-percentage swipe and it hit a tree and ricocheted 20 metres behind him into a fairway bunker, it seemed certain Collyer would get a hole back. Instead Sanchez knocked his third to gimme distance for a par and Collyer three-putted to go three down. After a birdie on seven to go four up, the young Royal tyro then did something on eight he hasn’t done since his junior days … and something that may never have been done in a number one pennant final match. He had an air shot. Admittedly, it was a left-handed attempt under a tree with leaves blocking his view … and he could laugh about it later. With the match slipping away, Collyer found his game on the back nine, birdieing 11 and 13 and almost birdieing 14, so that standing on the 17th tee he was only one down. That’s when the pair heard that ahead of them, McMillan had beaten Didone to clinch the result. With the pressure valve released, Sanchez flushed two shots to take the match 2&1 and not only officially end the 88-year drought but avenge the grand final loss of 2016. Southern, McMillan, Brereton and Sanchez were the four players in the Royal line-up who were part of the losing final and all four of them won – there’s much to be said about disappointment being a better teacher than triumph. Men’s Division One Final Result Matias Sanchez d. Blake Collyer 2&1 Darcy Brereton d. Chris John 6&4 James McMillan d. Aiden Didone 3&1 Harrison Gilbert lost to Lukas Michel 3&2 David Shimmin d. Adam Tsiamis 2&1 Sean Ong lost to Edward Donoghue 4&3 Aaron Southern d. Nicholas Brown 4&3 TOTAL: Royal Melbourne 5 d. Metropolitan 2 Aaron Southern, living the dream. James McMillan closing in on victory on the 17th at Victoria. 18 Golf Victoria