Guest Scores Universal Appeal In Merewether Visit

Newcastle Herald

Tuesday January 13, 2009

Neil Goffet

PLAY almost ground to a halt in the weekly competition at Merewether Golf Club last Thursday afternoon when an unexpected visitor arrived for a lazy nine holes.

Trainee professional Josh de Groot was a tad tongue tied when he served the guest, and her father and boyfriend, but word quickly spread around the course.

The attraction on the back nine was none other than Newcastle's own Miss Universe, Jen Hawkins.

Playing with boyfriend Jake Wall and her father, Robert, Hawkins turned plenty of birdies into bogeys as players struggled to keep their eyes on the ball they were playing.

She is only a beginner, but there were enough positive signs to show she has a future in the sport.

? Former Lake Macquarie Men's Amateur Championship winner Geoff Ogilvy gave a timely reminder of what can be achieved by winning next week's tournament at Belmont Golf Club.

The 1997 Lake Macquarie champion won the season-opening tournament on the lucrative US PGA Tour yesterday.

Ogilvy scored a runaway six-shot win over American youngster Anthony Kim to pocket over $US1.1 million ($1.64 million) after winning the Mercedes-Benz Championship at the Kapalua Resort in Hawaii.

Two-time Lake Macquarie winner Jarrod Lyle (2003 and 2004) played his way back on to the US tour after finishing in the top 25 on the second-tier Nationwide Tour last year.

The prestigious Lake Macquarie men's tournament will follow this week's women's event and will be played from January 22 to 25.

? T'was the season to be jolly at Kooindah Waters over the festive period as three players scored holes-in-one on the Central Coast resort course.

Kooindah resident and member David Tester got the ball rolling when he aced the par-three sixth hole on December 13.

That was followed by Jerome Ballard's effort when he put a one on his card at the par-three second on December 28.

Ballard had previously aced the par-three 17th in August, 2006.

Visitor David Dunk completed the hat-trick when he had a hole-in-one on the par-three 12th hole on December 29.

? Pacific Dunes enjoyed a successful 2008, and the most impressive part was the fact they assisted in raising more than $160,000 for charity for the year.

The major beneficiaries were the Cancer Council, John Hunter Hospital, Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service, RSPCA, Heart Foundation, local Rotary and schools.

? Nelson Bay's Grant Scott is in China playing his last amateur event before turning professional.

Scott made the decision before Christmas but wanted to fulfil his last commitment to the Australian amateur team at the Asia-Pacific Open Amateur Championship at Mission Hills Golf Club.

© 2009 Newcastle Herald

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