18 March - 20 March 2000

   Round 1: Yarrawonga - Murray
  Round 2: Cobram Barooga - Old
  Round 3: Yarrawonga - Lakes
   Final Scores and Presentation

Players
    Michael Hauser
    Steve Da Costa
    Richard Bondietti
    Rohan Tudor
    Andrew Millar
    Paul Baron

The Murray Course at the Yarrawonga and Border Golf Club is a challenging Thompson-Wolveridge design with plenty of large Murray River Gums to catch the errant shot.  The first King Challenge of the new millenium started with a record field of six players, with two tour rookies, Andrew Millar and Paul Baron.  Playing in two groups for the first time, the Challenge was going to be fiercely contested over the coming three rounds.  It was Richard who started on fire with two great shots into the par 4 first, a missed birdie putt and a tap in par.  Rohans three putts on the first where not helped by the traditional croissant on the first tee!  It was to be a sign of things to come!  Richard was the form player over the front nine, Paul showed some signs of nerves as the pressure of King golf took its toll.  Steve also struggled off the tee with the King driver sentanced to the bottom of the bag.  Mike had the short game working well, and Andrew was playing steady golf, despite a nine on the tough 5th hole.

Dont go left on the Par 3 13th!                                         18th hole on The Murray course
 

The back nine on the Murray course was torn apart by Rich and Mike both carding 42s, or a nett 31 and 33 respectively.  A solid par, par finish put Rich on top of the leader board with a nett 65.  Mike sat in second place with a nett 68 thanks to some handing short game work, Andrew was next on 73, Rohan had a 78, Steve an 82 struggling with the game off the tee and Paul an 83, a victim to the pressure that is King Golf.

King Leaderboard after the first round:

Player	Score	1st
R Bondietti	- 7	65
M Hauser	- 4	68
A Millar	+ 1	73
R Tudor	+ 6	78
S DaCosta	+ 10	82
P Baron	+ 11	83

Round 1 - Stats

	Out	In	Total	Nett	Putts Out	Putts In	Putts Total	G.I.R.	Birdies	Pars	Bogeys	Dbl Bogeys	Other
Richard	46	42	88	65	17	15	32	3	-	6	8	4	-
Mike	44	42	86	68	16	13	29	2	1	5	9	3	-
Andrew	48	47	95	73	16	18	34	3	-	4	8	4	2
Rohan	46	44	90	78	19	13	32	3	-	5	8	5	-
Steve	50	52	102	82	15	18	33	-	-	-	9	6	3
Paul	57	54	111	83	16	19	35	1	-	1	5	5	7
Par	36	36	72

Round 2: Cobram Barooga  - Old Course
 

Date	19th March 2000
Par	72 (36,36)
Length	6085 metres
Weather	Overcast, some rain
Fairways	Good
Greens	Medium

The weather on day two didnt look promising as the field drove across to the Cobram Barooga Golf Club for the second round played on the Old Course.  Well bunkered and tight, the Old course was always going to test the field, especially with a number of players carrying additional handicaps from the beers consumed on the previous night.  Mike showed the effects of too many beers by 3 putting the first two greens, and then carding a 10 on the par 5 4th hole.  In the process he hit about 4 trees in a row ( a new King record!!!).  But it was Andrew who set the early pace playing the first three in 1 under to put his hand up as a serious challenger for the purple jacket.

Rohan on the signature hole, par 3 8th                             Rich plays out of a trap on the 16th
 

Steve hit form on the back nine carding 3 pars and 6 bogeys for a 42, though this still left him 9 shots behind the leader at the end of the day.  The effects of the previous night took their toll on Richards swing as he dropped down the leaderboard with a string of triple bogeys on the back nine.  Rohans game was still inconsistent with a few errant shots, no croissants in site either!  Paul started to put some good shots together but the putter was letting him down, he managed the first 4 putt in King Challenge history on the 3rd hole after putting off the green!! Andrew failed to capitalise on his big start but still finished the round on top of the leaderboard, Mike came home with 4 pars to finish one shot off the lead with Richard a shot further back.

King Leaderboard after the Second round:

Player	Score	R1	R2
A Millar	+2	73	73
M Hauser	+3	68	79
R Bondietti	+4	65	83
S DaCosta	+ 11	82	73
R Tudor	+ 15	78	81
P Baron	+ 21	83	82

Round 2 - Stats

	Out	In	Total	Nett	Putts Out	Putts In	Putts Total	G.I.R.	Birdies	Pars	Bogeys	Dbl Bogeys	Other
Richard	48	56	104	83	17	16	33	1	-	1	5	9	3
Mike	52	45	97	79	20	15	35	4	-	5	6	4	3
Andrew	45	50	95	73	17	16	33	4	1	6	2	6	3
Rohan	49	44	93	81	16	14	30	-	-	4	8	5	1
Steve	51	42	93	73	18	14	32	1	-	3	9	6	-
Paul	58	59	112	82	20	19	39	3	-	3	3	5	7
Par	36	36	72

Round 3: Yarrawonga - Lakes Course
 

Date	20th March 2000
Par	72 (36,36)
Length	5957 metres
Weather	Overcast, mild
Fairways	Good
Greens	Medium

The Yarrawonga Golf Club hosted the final round on the Lakes course and a close contest was forecast.  Andrew had a narrow one stroke lead over Mike with Richard a further shot back.  Steve was next on the leaderboard, 9 shots behind the lead, but as Mike was reminded on numerous occassions anything is possible in King Challenge golf.  The last event saw Steve start from 10 shots behind Mike to claim the purple jacket in Canberra!!!
Mike was off to a flyer with a birdie on the first and narrowly missed birdie on the second but triple bogeys on the 4th and 6th holes halted the run.  Rohan found some form on the front nine but was left to ponder what might have been.  Rich also started the front nine well and pars on 7 and 8 bought him into contention.  But it was Andrew who virtually grabbed the jacket out of the cupboard with a sizzling 41 off the stick on the front nine including 5 pars.

Huge fairway bunkers gaurd the 8th hole                          Tough approach to the 13th hole
 

Paul hit form on the back nine carding a 46 for a nett 67, after two ordinary rounds the tour rookie showed some of the raw talent that the press have written about.  Steve also showed some late form but it was a King Challenge he would prefer to forget and he now sets his sights on Sydney in June.  Rohan was also looking to Sydney after an average 3 days of King golf and has vowed to wear that purple jacket one day!!  In the final group Mikes short game came together with some great saves narrowing Andrews lead but it was too little too late.  Pars on the 11th and 12th to Richard put added pressure on the leader but a costly triple bogey on the 13th ended the run.  Andrews front nine was too strong and he putted out on the 18th to secure the purple jacket in his first King Challenge event..

King Leaderboard after the Final round:

Player	Score	R1	R2	R3
A Millar	-3	73	73	67
M Hauser	-1	68	79	68
R Bondietti	+3	65	83	71
S DaCosta	+ 12	82	73	73
P Baron	+ 16	83	82	67
R Tudor	+ 23	83	82	80

Round 3 - Stats

	Out	In	Total	Nett	Putts Out	Putts In	Putts Total	G.I.R.	Birdies	Pars	Bogeys	Dbl Bogeys	Other
Richard	46	46	92	71	16	15	31	2	-	5	8	3	2
Mike	44	42	86	68	14	14	28	3	1	6	9	-	2
Andrew	41	48	89	67	18	17	35	5	-	5	9	4	-
Rohan	43	49	92	80	17	18	35	4	1	2	10	4	1
Steve	47	46	93	73	15	15	30	3	-	4	9	3	2
Paul	51	46	97	67	18	18	36	3	-	3	9	2	4
Par	36	36	72

Final Scores and Presentation 

King Leaderboard after the Final round:

Player	Score	R1	R2	R3	Prize Money
A Millar	-3	73	73	67	K$580,000
M Hauser	-1	68	79	68	K$313,200
R Bondietti	+3	65	83	71	K$194,300
S DaCosta	+ 12	82	73	73	K$174,000
P Baron	+ 16	83	82	67	K$156,600
R Tudor	+ 23	83	82	80	K$147,900

At the presentation Andrew was presented with the trophy from past winner Steve, a cheque for $580,000 King dollars and then the big moment as he was presented with the famous purple jacket, a somewhat tight fit but a proud moment for the tour rookie.  Andrew put the win down to a consistent game over the three days, a big night on the Saturday night and sheer guts and determination as he played one hole at a time.

Other winners:
Putting Trophy - Mike Hauser (92 putts)
The King Spoon- Rohan Tudor (Last place)
Nearest the pin - Richard Bondietti
Nearest the pin - Paul Baron
Long Drive -  Andrew Millar
 

Final Stats (3 rounds)

	Round 1 (nett)	Round 2 (nett)	Round 3 (nett)	Total Nett	Putts (Total)	Putts (Avg/hole)	G.I.R.	Birdies	Pars	Bogeys	Dbl Bogeys	Other
Richard	65	83	71	219	96	1.77	6	-	16	21	16	5
Mike	68	79	68	215	92	1.70	9	2	16	24	7	5
Andrew	73	73	67	213	102	1.89	12	1	16	19	14	5
Rohan	78	81	80	239	97	1.80	7	1	11	26	18	2
Steve	82	73	73	228	95	1.76	4	-	7	27	15	5
Paul	83	82	67	232	110	2.03	7	-	7	17	12	18
Par	72	72	72

 

Andrew accepts the King Challenge trophy from Steve           Looking dashing in the purple jacket

Mike wins the putting trophy, presented by Richard

The golfers - A fine group of golfing talent!!