By Shane Jones
For the second-straight year the Bundaberg region is the best at the Volkswagen Scramble.
A Bundaberg team comprising of Mick Murnane, Tim Russell, Nicole Allen, Josiah Manteit and Tom Jameson combined to take out the national tournament on Tuesday after winning their way through the regionals.
The tournament was hosted on the Sunshine Coast and was the rescheduled tournament that was meant to be done last year but wasn’t held due to the coronavirus pandemic.
But Bundaberg were made to fight hard for this year’s event.
The team didn’t get into the lead until the end of day two before falling behind again on day three.
“We just gave ourselves too many long putts that we didn’t quite make early,” Murnane said.
“It was a little bit of over celebrating from the night before.
“When we came through we didn’t get enough opportunities.”
Russell, who won in the last tournament with a Bargara team, helped the team bounce back with a massive putt with a couple of holes to go.
By the 18th the team found out it needed an eagle to win the tournament.
In the tournament each of the players hit a shot at the hole before the players pick the best to continue.
But after that player’s shot is taken, they sit out as the others then hit the next shot towards the green.
This continues until the hole is finished.
Murnane’s drive was selected but it was in the rough as the side needed to get the shot on the green, on the par five, to stand a chance of getting the eagle.
Manteit then delivered an incredible shot.
“Josiah hit an amazing three-wood, from the side of the hill and in the rough and bounced up and finished to get 10 feet from the hole,” Murnane said.
“He was a last minute ring in.
“But he definitely made himself part of the team with the shot of the tournament.”
The team then putted the ball into the hole to win.
Murnane said the region should be proud of their achievements to match the best.
A team from the town of 1770 finished third overall.
“Our Wide Bay region might be the best in Australia,” Murnane said.
This team now must disband and not play together for the next two years.
The focus now is on getting another Bundy or Bargara team, with different golfers, to deliver the same result.
The next Scramble final will be held later this year for this year’s tournament.
