CLAYTON’S SMALLEST OF WINS FOR TITLE NUMBER THREE

Maitland’s Clayton Small has won his third Hunter River District Championships by the narrowest of margins over Kurri’s Harry Atkinson.

Small fired off a 4 under 68 at Scone to defeat Atkinson by one shot and said it was the consistency with the driver that was the key to his victory.

“Well I didn’t really miss many fairways and when I did I scrambled pretty well,” he said.

“I made up and down pretty much from everywhere and made two bogeys which was 9 and 18, coincidentally.

“They are tough holes but other than that it was just driver and greens and I holed a couple of putts which helped.”

Despite finishing runner up, Atkinson was happy with his round.

“It was very solid today, it started out a little bit slow, I was even par through nine and then I just made three solid birdies on the back nine to finish with three under,” he said

“It was a perfect day for golf, the course was awesome out there and the greens are spectacular for this little country course, it is awesome to see.”

While Atkinson fell agonisingly short, his club mate Todd Subat played superb golf to take out B Grade with a solid 5 over 77 _ a score that many A graders would have taken.

“I have had a little bit of a rough trot with a few clubs going off the boil and they are just coming back on so it all just chimed in today,” he said.

“It was a little bit shaky at the start but I levelled it out.”

Subat won by two shots over Maitland’s Jordan Jacob while14-year-old Charlie Moir finished a further shot back.

C grade went to Merriwa’s Hunter Nutt _ a 17 over 89 was enough to defeat the next best, Geoff Jones of Branxton who scored 95. While in the Seniors, Mick Alsleben used his local knowledge to advantage firing off a 5 over 77 to take the W.

Maitland’s Cooper Muir, a four year veteran of the game, won the Junior title, defeating local member Arnie Hussain, by one shot.

“I am very proud,” the 17-year-old said.

“The course was lovely, the fairways were good and the greens were true, it was perfect.”

In the Stableford, Denman’s Kyle Blinco won A grade on a countback over Hunter Valley’s Josh Tracey, while in B grade it was Jordan Jacobs with a stunning 45 points, with Scone’s Mick Reynolds awarded runner up with 40 points.

While C grade scratch winner Hunter Nutt also recorded the best stableford score of 37, the chocolates went to Kurri’s Steve Stig with 35 points, a countback winner over Denman’s Adam McLean.

Congratulations to all the winners.

Text by Liz White. Photos and interviews by Lyn Banks.