Sharrock bags his first title

ALL CLASS: Amber-Rose Newth-Thompson made it look easy, taking her fourth senior women's club title when 15 shots up with 13 holes to play on Sunday. PHOTO/BEVAN CONLEY

Dennis Sharrock thought he was in for an early shower before coming back from four down to take his first Castlecliff Golf Club senior men's title on Sunday.

The six handicapper was playing one of the club's stronger golfers, Ricky Gowan, in the final and, after hitting 84 in the morning session, he was immediately on the back foot with Gowan carding 74.

"Ricky was all of a sudden four up on me and I really thought I was in for an early shower," Sharrock said yesterday.

"Ricky plays off a three [handicap] and is a hard man to beat, but I had a slightly better afternoon than he did. He shot 84 and I carded 80."

Both level pegging on 158 after two rounds, the pair went to a sudden death play-off and it took three extra holes before Sharrock got the measure of Gowan.

"Despite being down four in the morning, it was a really comfortable day's golf. There was a bit of pressure on but I managed to get Ricky on the 39th. This is my first club title after 20 or 30 years' golfing."

Sharrock, who turns 61 next week, conceded he had celebrated with several cold ones in the 19th.

"I had a few to celebrate but I'm a bit tired today," Sharrock said. Meanwhile, there were no dramas in the senior women's final, as 19-year-old Amber-Rose Newth-Thompson claimed her fourth club title in five years when she was 15 up with 13 holes to play against Lynette Gordon.

"I shot a 75 in the morning, which was all right without breaking any records. I played Lynette in the final last year and managed to win, so it was nice getting back-to-back titles," she said yesterday.

Newth-Thompson missed in 2012, after winning the 2010 and 2011 titles.

"I played fairly consistent golf on Sunday. I was driving well and put in a few good putts."

In the Intermediate Men, Warwick Goile defeated Richard Lane, while Grant Clark beat Warwick Kenny for the Junior A title. Keith Travers defeated Russell Terrey in the Junior B final. Gillian O'Kane took the Bronze One Ladies title after defeating Mary Halvorson, while in the Bronze Two Ladies Suzanne Muirhead beat Carol Kenny.