By John Serhan
**Women’s Major Pennants “The Serhan Report” Final V Concord at Terrey
Hills GC**
Sadly no helicopters this week to fire us up but we were extremely well
prepared and out girls were outstanding in both their play and their
attitudes out on the course. It almost seems so unfair that it is
another year without a flag but that is golf and only emphasises how
special it is when you get over the winning line and just how fine that
line can be. In the end the girls went down very graciously 3 games to
2.
Above John Serhan, Steph Kyriacou, Teresa Nurdi, Maddy Nurdi, Pam
Tsiamis, Makensie Toole, Casey Cook, Tylah Saifoloi, Dani Vasquez, Pat
Pitsawong and Kelsey Bennett on the first tee.
9^(th) Green at Terrey Hills with some Par 5 action!
Wildcats Team colours on display even nails and pink socks!
Makensie Toole playing Madison Woodley had a tremendous match showing
great patience and simply great shot making. Early on it was a see
sawing affair with girls exchanging pars and birdies with very few holes
halved. Makensie was 1 down playing the 6^(th) when finally a hole was
halved with a critical turning point on the 7^(th). Makensie found the
rough just thru the fairway after her 3W went to far and with Madison
hitting a beautiful hybrid to 15 feet Makensie responded by gouging a
magnificent 7 iron cut shot out of the rough to 12 feet. Madison missed
narrowly and Makka went straight in for birdie to get back to square
then won the 8^(th) and halved 9 with a great par save to turn 1 up.
From here it was just magnificent golf hitting every fairway and every
green with highlight birdies at 13 and 15 after long drives set up great
approach shots and even better putts! In the end a 5/3 winner topping
off a great season and signs of things to come in the future!
At /#4 was Casey Cook who journeyed up from Canberra where she is at ANU
studying. Casey playing big hitting sensation Angelina Gong. Casey
drawing on her vast experience got off to a great start making the turn
3 up but Angelina hit back with a procession of birdies and pars to
fight back. Casey had absolutely no luck on 14 after a great drive with
her 2^(nd) shot finding trouble after an unlucky bounce and then her
approach plugging in the lip of the bunker and it was all square.
Angelina then won 15 when Casey’s par putt horse shoed out. Again Casey
drew on her experience to stay patient hitting a great 8 iron into 16 to
15 feet and made a curly putt for birdie to win the hole after Angelina
shaved the edge. Both girls hit brilliant drives down the narrow 17^(th)
but again misfortune with Casey finding a sand fill divot in the
fairway. A brilliant shot to 15 feet from Gong put the pressure on and
the sand divot left Casey well short for 2 requiring a stunning pitch
from 40m that lipped the hole stopping just 4 feet by. 2 pars and off to
18 all square. Another brilliant and very long drive by Gong with Casey
just finding the right rough. A well struck 2^(nd) from Casey found the
bunker and led to a bogey while Gong made a great 12 footer for par to
take the match 1up. So close and yet …. But what a sensational effort
from Casey with just no luck on the day! Ably assisted by our gun social
director and Tour Caddy/player Tylah Saifoloi. Tylah will head off to
college in the states later this year and we really wish Tylah all the
best with her golf and her studies! Come visit!
What a great team! Above and beyond!
At /#3 was Dani Vasquez playing young sensation and state representative
Sophie Yip the pocket rocket. Dani back from playing very well last week
and in Adelaide the week before had a very see sawing game again showing
just how closely matched out two teams were. Dani and Sophie did not
halve a hole till the 12^(th). Dani was 1 down thru the turn having won
4 and lost 5 holes. Crazy game! Sophie got on a little roll the back
nine to be 3 up thru 14 but Dani made a great birdie on 15 after her
great tee shot to inside 10 feet. Sophie was just too consistent and ran
out a 2/1 winner. Danni now aims to start a PGA Traineeship next year so
this may well have been her last year with us but it has been a great
association and Dani has been a great member of the team and the club
and we wish her every success going forward. Will be sadly missed!
Especially by her Caddy Pat Pitsawong!
At /#2 was Kelsey Bennett playing fellow State Representative Belinda
Ji. A clash of two great ball strikers and it was a very tight tussle.
Kelsey birdied the 9 to pull back to square heading to ten and then made
a great birdie on 13 and after her 3 iron approach to 14 left her with a
12 foot eagle putt she gained control of the match lipping out the eagle
but winning the hole with a birdie to go 2 up where she stayed till 17
where she was set to make a par and halve that hole to win her game
which was actually stopped as there was already a result in the match.
We are still claiming it as a morale victory. Kelsey has had the
invaluable services of Dennis Glynne on the bag all season and it has
been a great partnership! Kelsey is off to Alice Springs now for the NT
Amateur and then back to head to Tasmania next month for the Australian
interstate series! What a gun in the making. Good golfing and good luck!
The last man standing was Steph Kyriacou who was playing fellow State
Team member Doey Choi who has been in great form in both amateur and
professional events. Steph Dog as we used to call her played some really
solid and great golf especially tee to green. Caddy on the day Weiliang
Wang was impressed how straight these girls hit it and said it was real
eye opener watching these guns in action. On the greens Steph just did
not quite have the pace right coming up short in the middle or just a
little thru the break. Very annoying but that is golf. Still playing par
golf but Doey was playing sub par golf and so got out to a good lead and
had Steph 4 down with 4 to go. Steph finally made a putt on the 14^(th)
for birdie to get back to 3 and then birdied 15 to get back to 2 but a
birdie from Doey sealed it on 16 with Steph going down valiantly 3/2. If
I know Steph that will just make her want to practice even harder for
next year!! Great job Weiliang too and from all accounts certainly one
of the friendliest matches you could ever have. Steph too will be off to
Tasmania in May with Kelsey and Doey and Sophie when they will all be on
the same team aiming to go back to back after winning the interstate
last year. Will be a great ride so watch this space and lots more from
this young super talent!
Our Team Steph Kyriacou, Teresa Nurdi, Maddy Nurdi, Pam Tsiamis,
Makensie Toole, Casey Cook, Tylah Saifoloi, Dani Vasquez, Pat Pitsawong
, and Kelsey Bennett.
Special thanks must go to Pat Pitsawong (manager), Helen (Mum) Mooney
(assistant Manager) and Veronica Newman and all the ladies and committee
for their unconditional support of the girls! Ken Earl our president,
Matt Whittaker Club Captain and the men’s board for their support of
both the ladies and men’s teams! To our caddies on the day and during
the season a huge thanks! Pam Tsiamis, Alex Radevski, Pat Pitsawong,
Tylah Saifoloi, Teresa Nurdi, Maddy Nurdi, Peter Fitzgerald, Anne Marie
Macdonald, Dorothy Wilmshurst, Rachel Underdown and Coach Serhan all
doing their part to help out. Many thanks to Jim and Marg Byrnes, Sue
Wright and hubby, Nick Radevski, Nick and Angele Kyriacou, Sandra and
David Vasquez and all those who came out and sent wishes to the team! A
Trojan effort all round!
We also want to acknowledge the contribution of Kylie Wade and Tri Comms
and Veronica Newman from Albury Kent Travels plus Ray White Real estate
Coogee and Maroubra and Club Car Ingersol Rand (Kevin Gates) and David
Lyons for sponsoring the team and the uniforms for this season. I would
also like to thank the staff and committee from Golf NSW for their
hospitality and fantastic running of the event. All our staff back at St
Mics for another huge effort in supporting us all season!
The season is done but I am sure our Wildcats will keep batting on both
at the club and representing themselves and NSW and naturally St
Michael’s in the only way they know how, with expertise, great
sportsmanship and with passion for the game!
Go Wildcats all the way!!
A picture history of the last few years below!
2014
2015
Check out Harrison Crowe
2016
2017
The Brains Trust!
2018
2019
One hole one shot until next time!!