Back-to-Back champs

NEW South Wales has gone back-to-back at the annual Maccabi President’s Cup, trumping locals Victoria and the travelling Western Australia teams at the event hosted at the prestigious Moonah Links Golf Course.

The three-day matchplay tournament saw the best Jewish golfers from around Australia hit the course to decide which state really is the best, with participants also vying for spots in Australia’s team for the Maccabiah Games coming up in July.

It was the winning NSW side that impressed the most, finishing on 15 points ahead of Victoria’s 11 and WA’s 10.

The team included David Goldin, Gary Berkal, Jason Rubenstein, Gary Gild, David Greek, Graham Shulman, Ian Sandler, Mark Michalowsky, Paul Goldin, Ronnie Geffen, David Felthun and Graham Meyerowitz.
Day one saw NSW win four matches and halve two others to take a three-point lead into the second day.

But things were much closer as the tournament progressed, with Victoria and WA drawing level to have all three teams at six points with one day to play.

“We went out strong on day one and didn’t lose a match,” NSW team captain Goldin told The AJN.

“So I kept my pairings the same for day two, but this proved to work against us as we lost five games on day two.”

With the competition all square, it came down to the last round of individual matchplay games to decide which state would earn bragging rights.

And with the NSW team boasting a string of low-handicapped players among the best in the country, it proved way too strong for Victoria and WA, winning nine of its 12 singles matches to run away easy victors.

“It came down to the singles, particularly the A-grade games, where our low-markers really delivered,” Goldin said.

“Shulman, Berkal, Gild and Rubenstein did the damage up front and we cruised home for a great victory.

“Well played to Victoria and WA who fought back to level the series, which was a great effort on their behalf.”

The event will be held in WA next year.

AJN Staff

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