The Inaugural City Cuntry Classic - 2009

The Inaugural City Cuntry Classic was hosted by the QQQQ in Mandurah and Perth from Friday 29 to Sunday 31 May 2009. Details of each round and the results are posted below (QQQQ are listed first in the results section).

Friday 29 May (AM) at The Links Kennedy Bay
An early morning start saw tempers erupt between QQQQ teammates on the way to The Links Kennedy Bay but this was short-lived with attention diverted to their opponents on arrival at the golf course. With the start slightly delayed as all but one member of the group paid their green fees, the QQQQ shrugged off their underdog tag with three vital wins and a half.

The random draw of opponents saw some juicy match-ups with the opening pairing of Damien Todorovic and Nev van Clarke joined by Dean Sherlock and Grant Woods. They were followed by big hitters Wez Smart and Rick Beet going head-to-head whilst Matthew Schwarzbach entertained brother Damian in a mouth-watering contest.

The Schwarzbach match-up would bring about the Great Southern Growlers only half-point in the morning session as Todorovic unexpectedly triumphed over the more fancied van Clarke, Sherlock outlasted Woods from the back tees and Smart outblasted Beet.

Matchplay Results
Damien Todorovic defeated Nev van Clarke (3&2)
Dean Sherlock defeated Grant Woods
Wez Smart defeated Rick Beet (2up)
Matthew Schwarzbach halved with Damian Schwarzbach (AS)

QQQQ lead 3.5-0.5

Friday 29 May (PM) at Secret Harbour Golf Links
The afternoon session was always going to be a tight squeeze to finish in daylight hours especially given the earlier events in the day which resulted in the delayed start.

The latter ambrose match between M Schwarzbach/Todorovic and Beet/D Schwarzbach was deemed a tie when both teams agreed to finish up on the 17th tee also resulting in the crossover matches being squared.

But in near darkness on the 18th green, the Great Southern Growlers registered their first full point when van Clarke/Woods held firm over the Sherlock/Smart combination with a closing par.

Ambrose Matchplay Results (head-to-head)
Sherlock/Smart lost to van Clarke/Woods (1dn)
M Schwarzbach/Todorovic halved with Beet/D Schwarzbach (AS)

Ambrose Crossover Results (total stableford points)
Sherlock/Smart halved with Beet/D Schwarzbach (DNF)
M Schwarzbach/Todorovic halved with van Clarke/Woods (DNF)

QQQQ lead 5-3

Saturday 30 May at Rosehill Country Club
Rosehill Country Club will long be remembered as the venue that the Great Southern Growlers self-capitulated and will go down in history as the venue at which the inaugural City Cuntry Classic was won.

Already reeling from a two-point deficit from the previous day, the Growlers were shocked to find out that the Rosehill course had an ACR of 66 meaning that everyone had to take six shots from their handicap in the Better Ball pairs format. But this shock was nothing compared to what the QQQQ encountered when a rift split the team of Beet/van Clarke on just the first hole.

Having gone into their match against M Schwarzbach/Sherlock as favourites, Beet and van Clarke were served the first lemonades of the competition, going down with six holes still to play. They would also lose their crossover by xx stableford points.

The team of D Schwarzbach/Woods faired marginally better taking their match against Smart/Todorovic to the 13th hole. The highlight of that round was Woods' sinking a 20 foot putt to halve the 8th hole only to be informed that he had hit from the wrong spot. He was permitted to putt from the correct spot (which was closer to the hole) but he missed and lost the hole.

The QQQQ took out the remaining crossover to make it a clean sweep of points for the day. Following the defeat, the Growlers labelled the course a "goat track" - quite unjustified considering the considerable work undertaken by course management to bring it up to City Cuntry Classic hosting standards.

Better Ball Matchplay Results (head-to-head)
Smart/Todorovic defeated D Schwarzbach/Woods (6&5)
M Schwarzbach/Sherlock defeated Beet/van Clarke (7&6)

Better Ball Crossover Results (total stableford points)
Smart/Todorovic defeated Beet/van Clarke (xx-34)
M Schwarzbach/Sherlock defeated D Schwarzbach/Woods (44-xx)

QQQQ lead 9-3

Sunday 31 May at The Vines Resort and Country Club (Lakes Course)
With the competition all but over, some liberties were taken with increasing the handicaps of the Great Southern Growlers and reducing those of the QQQQ. It would not make much difference though with the QQQQ still splitting the matches to result in a resounding victory.

Matchplay Results
Damien Todorovic defeated Grant Woods (1up)
Dean Sherlock lost to Damian Schwarzbach (xx)
Wez Smart lost to Nev van Clarke (1dn)
Matthew Schwarzbach defeated Rick Beet (3&2)

QQQQ win 11-5