Scott Strange dominates Spalding Park Open, Carroll bags amateur title

Veteran Scott Strange has taken out the $35,000 Mitchell and Brown Spalding Park Open after a phenomenal back nine rounded out his wire-to-wire victory. Having taken a five-stroke lead into the final round on Sunday conditions couldn’t have been tougher, with squally showers and strong winds lashing the course. The frontrunners all dropped shots while Daniel Fox bucked the trend to birdie one and three to move into second at 5 under while defending champion Hadyn Barron followed suit to sit four back after the first six holes. Simon Houstan then made a late charge with birdies at nine, 10, 12 and 13 to cut Strange’s lead back to just two shots. However as the sun appeared as Strange rounded the turn so did daylight begin to separate him from the field. Birdies at 10, 11, 14, 15, an eagle at the par-5 16th and a closing birdie saw him complete the back nine in just 29 strokes to claim a nine-shot win. Head Golf Professional at the Spalding Park Golf Club Bryon Clarkson said it was an outstanding victory. “Scott’s been coming on and off over the last 20 years now so he was pretty chuffed to finally get this under his belt,” he said. “I don’t think he’s necessarily played overly well here in the past before but he won wire to wire so he did it pretty comfortably in the end despite rough weather along the way.” Strange’s Sunday 66 and total of 15-under par put him well clear of Simon Houston (70) and Braden Becker (69) who shared second at six-under, Barron (70) and Fox (70) tied for fourth at five-under par. Local Geraldton player Matthew Lloyd-White made his debut at the event finishing in 23rd place on plus 18. Clarkson said despite the result it was a good learning experience for White. “I’m sure he would have liked to have played better but I think with a little bit of extra attention with the media and all the members following him. I think it would be a really good learning curve for him,” he said. In the amateur event, the Leading Amateur in the main section was Dean Carroll. Runner-up was Dean McArthur. “We’ve always had quite a few players from Perth coming, so it’s good to finally see a local winner,” Clarkson said. “I think it’s been since 2011, since a local took out the leading amateur. So it’s a really good achievement for Dean.” “Carroll also won Wally Sudilowski Memorial, an event held in the honour of Wally who was crucial in organising the Spalding Park Open,” he said. The Stableford section winner was Peter Simmons (Lakelands) and runner-up was Tony O’Brien (Spalding Park).