MORRIS DEBUTS IN STYLE
Peter Morris’s first foray into over 50s golf began in the best possible way when he triumphed in the 2023 Penrith Senior Open on Tuesday.
A stalwart representative of Penrith’s Major and Master Pennant teams, the 52-year-old Morris was the beneficiary of a Golf NSW rules change dropping eligibility for Senior events from 55 years to 50.
The tournament was decided for the first time with a sudden-death playoff after Morris and Dunheved’s Darren Bain both produced two-under-par rounds of 70.
The playoff began on the 16th hole, which was halved in par four, before Morris sealed the deal on the par-five 17th, where he hit a massive drive and found the putting surface with an 8-iron approach and two-putted for birdie.
The day did not start well for Morris or Bain. Morris began his round with a par at the 8th hole but double-bogeyed the 9th. Bain, starting from the 10th tee, opened with a bogey.
Both rallied quickly, with Bain making birdie at the 14th and eagled the 17th. Morris eagled the par-five 12th and birdied the 16th.
On the run home, Bain offset bogeys on the 1st and 8th holes with birdies at 4th and 6th.
Morris bogeyed the 1st and 5th but countered with a birdie on the 4th and his second eagle on the round at the 6th.
Dunheved’s John Fearnley, the defending champion, was third on 73, tied with Monash’s Doug Cullam, who claimed the Over 65s division.
The Open was again successful, attracting 62 players, representing 29 clubs.
LEADING SCORES:
70: Peter Morris (Penrith), Darren Bain (Dunheved). 73: Doug Cullam (Monash), John Fearnley (Dunheved). 74: David Gannon (New South Wales). 75: Andrew Lambie (Killara). 76: Robert Smythe (Toronto), Stephen Hunt (Glenmore). 77: Ross Rees (Royal Canberra), Michael Albee (Lakeside).
