SUNSHINE COAST WINTER CLASSIC, JUNE 2021

Brisbane golfer Richard Robinson recovered from a slow start to win the Sunshine Coast Winter Classic – a 72-hole tournament for club golfers played over four of the Sunshine Coast’s finest courses.

It was the second time Robinson, a member of both Carbrook and Coolangatta-Tweed Heads, had won the event. The Classic was played last year in October because of COVID-19.

“I was actually more nervous last year,” Robinson said. “This year I went out to just enjoy myself.” Robinson tallied 139 stableford points over four days of competition to win by five points from Stewart Clover, a member of The Ridge Golf Club in suburban Sydney. The Queensland Government employee recorded only 31 points in the first round, played at Maroochy River, and was 10 strokes from the lead after his second round 34 points at Peregian. But he had the day’s best – 38 points – at Noosa Springs in the third round, and a solid 36 points at Twin Waters to wrap up an impressive win. “I enjoy all the courses we play on,” Robinson said. “It’s also fun to make new friends and I’ve always been fairly competitive.”

A long-time Carbrook member and a golfer for the past 17 years, Robinson took out membership at Coolangatta-Tweed Heads because several of his friends were members at the border town club. He’s already making plans to return next year to try to continue his domination of an event that has already become popular with golfers from all over Australia.

Another Coolangatta-Tweed Heads member – 17-handicapper Chris Brown – scored 130 points (31, 31, 34 and 34) to take the Division 2 trophy in a dramatic finish. Parkwood’s Peter Tozer, who held a seven-stroke lead with just the final round to be played, struggled at Twin Waters, recorded 26 points and fell one point short.

In the ladies division, Vesna McLean from Indooroopilly held off a fast-closing Dawn Lane to score a thrilling one-point victory. Vesna led by 12 strokes overnight, but scored only 30 points in the final round. Dawn, from Redland Bay, scored 41 points – the day’s best – to almost snatch an improbable win.