After a slow day at school due to junior exams, Dave and Jon decided to have a sly game at Ellerslie before heading home. While waiting for Dave to arrive, Jon saw none other than the great man himself, Gerard show up. Gerard after attending the physio (for work possibly on an injury that has been disrupting his golfing performance) had decided to sneakily sneak in a few sneaky shots at the driving range. Instead a golfing trio was formed and under the rules there was an official match for the JT Shield underway.
Dave started strongly paring two out of the first three holes while Gerard and Jon could only manage bogey fours. The two shot lead lasted until the 6th hole when Gerard closed in.
Going into the 8th the scores between Gerard and Dave were tied, Gerard was anticipating his first win. Jon had fallen away having been overawed by the pressure of having to win twice in a row to have his name make the shield. At the tee shot, Dave had gone to the left of the green and Gerard on the green at the front. Dave stepped up and Chiperfielded the ball to within inches of the hole, he then followed up that effort with a strong putt for a solid 3. Gerard three putted, therefore carding a four handing Dave a one shot advantage heading into the last hole.
All three players had shocker tee shots, everyone to the right and Gerard buried in a fallen branch. Jon needed to pick up three shots, Gerard one and Dave had to play steady golf for the win. While Gerard was setting up his shot Dave again, pulled out the Chipperfield and left his ball again, within inches of the hole. Gerard looked up to play his shot and muttered something that I dare not write on this report. (We all know the internet is not the place for obscenities.) So the game was over, Dave was happy to have won the shield and by a somewhat convincing margin.
Highlights
The surprise of Gerard showing up, leading to an official match being sanctioned.
Dave deciding that the old putter was way better than the new after sinking a massive put on the second hole to score a four.
Jon and Gerard deciding to fork out the extra 3 dollars to play 18 holes instead of nine, Jon scored a 29 on the second nine, an unofficial record.
Scores Dave 32 Gerard 33 Jon
Chamberlain Park was host to what can only be described as the best round ever played in JT Shield competition history. Eley made his presence felt early with a par and proceeded to par 9 other holes and shoot two birdies to complete an extraordinary round of 74 (5 over par) leaving fellow competitors feeling empty and worthless. Buckley (81) and Duncan (85) both shot reasonable rounds but merely mentioning them bestows too much credit to players who were never in with a shout. Williams (96) took the wooden spoon.
In stinking hot weather Eley strode down the 18th fairway delighted to see his second land on the green, the cheers of the gathering supporters suggesting it was close enough to putt for a birdie to finish the round. It turned out to be a 4 footer that Eley slotted. Moments later Eley had been picked up on the shoulders of his fans and was being escorted off the course that had given him so much pleasure. Talk on the fairways was suggesting that the Shield may be given to Eley, a bit like Brazil getting the Jules Rimet, rumours that were categorically denied by a JT Shield spokesman.
Highlights
� every shot Jon played
� Jon
� the 74 in the title of the article is in font size 74
Score card:
Handicap Jon 74 Clinton Gerard Dave 96
