Another triumph for Joondalup | Golf Australia

Joondalup Country Club won its third Division 1 Men’s Pennants title in four years after battling deep to defeat Mount Lawley in a high-level final.

The competition took place under tough conditions at the Wanneroo Golf Club. Occasional rain and strong winds made for unpredictable play. In addition, the 36-hole match play format also put a great strain on the players’ physical and mental reserves.

After beating Mount Lawley in the final round-robin match last weekend, Joondalup started as favourites and was in a strong position halfway into the final itself. However, Mount Lawley refused to bow down and at the 27-hole mark the match was too close to call.

Despite big wins by Joondalup’s George Barclay (10&8) and Lachie Hall (8&7), Ken Gao (6&5) delivered a dominant performance to secure a point for Mount Lawley. The title depended on thrilling matches between Rory McKinney and Mason Whitehead, Tom Botica and Michael Montgomery and Tom Addy and Shaun Malone.

Ultimately all three matches were decisive, but it was McKinney’s perseverance, combined with an extra point for his 15-year-old teammate Nate Johnson from Joondalup, that decided the outcome.

McKinney held a three-hole lead over Mason Whitehead with holes to go, but the Mount Lawley man fought back and took the match to the 18th hole, where McKinney held on to record a vital 1-up victory.

Johnson, now the youngest player in the Joondalup team, recorded a fine 4&3 victory over Christian Nicholls to give his team an insurmountable lead.

With Botica and Montgomery, Addy and Malone halving their entertaining battles, Joondalup eventually won 5-2 in a match that was more exciting than the scoreline might suggest.

Joondalup missed out on the three-peat in 2023, marking the club’s fifth win in the competition’s history, with the first coming in 2009. No team has won as many Division 1 Men’s Pennants titles since the turn of the century.

Joondalup captain Drew Dubberlin praised his pupils’ success, saying: “Although we beat Mount Lawley last week, you can never take anything for granted in golf. After 27 holes I was beginning to fear the worst but I’m really pleased with how the team responded. It’s great to get another flag.”

Team No. 1 Tom Addy enjoyed a memorable season for Joondalup, winning six games and halving one of his seven. It could be his last championship campaign if his ambitions to win a tour card later this year come to fruition, and Addy was delighted to have made a meaningful contribution to his team’s success.

“It’s always a goal to go through the season undefeated so I’m really happy with that,” he told GolfWA. “I’m excited to be part of this team and it’s so good to see the boys happy and winning the flag again.”

GolfWA Men’s Pennants Final Results

Division 1: Joondalup 5 – 2 Mount Lawley Division 2: The Vines 4.5 – 2.5 Hartfield Division 3: Nedlands 4 – 3 Sun City Division 4: Hartfield 5 – 2 Joondalup Division 5: Lake Karrinyup 4 – 2 Kwinana Division 6 North: Chequers 3.5 – 2.5 The Vines Division 6 South: Bunbury 4 – 2 Mosman Park Division 7: The Vines 1 4 – 2 Kwinana 2 Division 8: The Vines 2.5 – Hartfield 2.5 (match to be finalised at a later date)