Playing partners John Cross and Drew Hutchison are accustomed to the bright lights during their footy careers, but last week it was Links Shell Cove bar manager Clint Canty who took all the attention with a hole-in-one.
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Teeing off at the 165-metre par three 14th, Canty fired into the middle of the green, just short of the pin.
Cross – the lock forward who played more than 250 games for the Steelers, Penrith and Dragons – and Roosters recruit Hutchison were more confident he’d aced it than Canty himself.
But, with phone in hand to video the moment, Canty marched up to the green to find his ball had indeed found the bottom of the cup.
Having won the Illawarra pennant title a couple of years ago, Canty has spent more time pulling beers behind the bar at Shell Cove than the clubs from his boot.
Still with a handicap of five, Canty admits the hole-in-one, the third in his life after hitting two previously at Port Kembla, had motivated him to play more regularly.
“I don’t play too much at all any more, so it was great to walk up and see it in the hole,” he said.
“I’ve known Crossy for a long time, he and Drewy were more excited about it than I was, it’s the first time they’d played with someone who hit one.
“I knew it went close, but I just wasn’t sure.
“I’ve played pennants and that sort of thing had passed for me, but I definitely want to get out there more often again after hitting that.”
Canty is the son of former Doug Canty, professional at Port Kembla for more than 40 years.
RACE TO THE TOP
The Links Shell Cove and Kiama won their respective matches at the weekend to sit three points clear at the halfway mark in Illawarra Pennant division one.
Links Shell Cove defeated Port Kembla at home by three matches to two, going down to the wire to remain undefeated. Isaac Brown claimed the first match for Port Kembla when he defeated Dave Oppert 2/1.
The Links hit back winning the next two, with Jason Kast winning one-up against Neil Bartley and Danny Nesbitt winning 4/3 over Matthew Ward.
Anthony Brunero and Mark Crossingham were square in their match with two to play.
Brunero three-putted the 17th to go 1 down. He would go on to win the 18th and square the match and ensure the Links would at least claim a point.
The battle between Colin Mitchell and Jason Ward in the number one match saw Ward get off to a quick start to be 4-up after six holes.
Mitchell slowly clawed his way back and a chip-in on the 17th would see the match all square with one to play. The 18th would be squared which would see the Links prevail.
Kiama thumped The Grange at home by 5 matches to nil to keep pace with Links Shell Cove. Kiama’s Wil Daibarra followed up his 9/8 win last week with another fine display of golf to win his match 8/6. Adam Stojanovic 7/6 and James Malin 5/4 were also big winners for Kiama.
Ravnjak's Classic cause
Cordeaux Heights' Tahnia Ravnjak will be determined to make up for lost time at the Australian Ladies Classic at Bonville starting on Thursday.
The 25-year-old turned professional last year and secured a Chinese LPGA Tour card through qualifying and making the cut at the Victorian Open, before she suffered significant injury setbacks.
A stress fracture in her first tournament in China meant she could only limp through the start of the tour, before the re-rankings took effect and she dropped 42 spots on the order of entry list.
Ravnjak had played in the US College system since 2014, before returning in 2017.
She was tied for 31st in the Thailand Masters in September and tied for 13th at Curlewis last month.
Ravnjak played out of Port Kembla Golf Club growing up and now a member of The Australian Golf Club.
The Ladies Classic is a $350,000 tournament, with representatives from 30 countries in Europe, Asia and the US, including English great Laura Davies.
Tim Barrow
When it comes to sport - at professional and community level - in the Illawarra, I'm here to provide insight, context and opinion, as well as the latest news you won't find anywhere else.
When it comes to sport - at professional and community level - in the Illawarra, I'm here to provide insight, context and opinion, as well as the latest news you won't find anywhere else.
