Royal Hobart Golf Club’s Joey Bower, Josh Hill, Richard Kube and Paul Read fired on home soil to win back-to-back Claremont Shield titles last weekend. The tournament was keenly contested with one stroke separating joint leaders Launceston and Mowbray from the host club following Saturday afternoon’s foursomes round. Launceston’s pairing of Mitch Van Noord and Matt Marston, and Mowbray’s Mathew Wiltshire and George Waller combined for even-par rounds of 72. While Hill and Kube kept Royal in the hunt for the club’s tenth title with a one-over-par round of 73. Royal was followed by Devonport, Kingston Beach and Prospect Vale all in equal fourth place on four-over-par 76. However, Royal Hobart was too strong on Sunday in the singles event with three of the four team members figuring in the top ten on the final individual leader board. Bower the best performed of the quartet, contributing to the team’s total and taking out the individual 36-hole gross prize with rounds of 68 and 68, an eight-under-par total of 136. Kube and Read rounded out the best three for the club with one-over and three-over-par respectively, ensuring the club first place on four-under-par, an aggregate of 500. Launceston Golf Club, the 2019 champions, were runners-up on the final teams leader board at 20-over-par 524. Best for Launceston Golf Club was Van Noord who placed second on the final individual leader board on six-under-par after rounds of 67 and 71, a total of 138. Prospect Vale placed third on 533 with Kingston Beach and Ulverstone equal fourth on 539 to round out the top five clubs. Royal Hobart Golf Club also collected the Eric Bourke Memorial Shield with a handicap total of 511½. Not to be outdone, Royal Hobart’s team of Lindy Goggin, Debbie Taylor, Hallie Meaburn, and Zibeth Daubenton ensured a clean sweep for the host club. But it was nervous times for the team after trailing joint overnight leaders Launceston and Prospect Vale by three strokes following the foursomes round. Launceston’s pairing of Jorjah Bailey and Pip Leedham, and Prospect Vale’s Tammy Hall and Lily Caelli combined for seven-over-par 80. While Ulverstone Golf Club were also poised to strike in third place with Taliah Mowat and Sarah Johnstone carding a nine-over 82. It took the grandmother and granddaughter combination of Goggin and Meaburn to steady the ship for Royal in the foursomes with a ten-over-par round of 83. However, Royal were again too strong in the singles and completed the double for the club with Meaburn, Goggin and Daubenton all figuring in the top ten. Meaburn the best for Royal with a four-over-par 77, followed by Goggin at eight-over 81 and Daubenton on 11-over 84. Royal Hobart, with a total of 325, winning the inaugural title by nine strokes from the Prospect Vale Golf Club on 334. Best for Prospect Vale Golf Club was Hall who placed equal third on the final individual leader board at seven-over-par 80. Ulverstone Golf Club’s Sarah Johnstone took out the individual 18-hole gross prize with a round of three-over 76.

Prospect Vale Golf Club collected the women’s Eric Bourke Memorial Shield with a handicap total of 301½.