THE red-hot run of Bathurst golfing prodigy Scott Matheson has finally slowed to something of a jog after he finished seventh in his division in the latest Jack Newton Junior Golf Foundation event held on the weekend.
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Contesting the Macarthur Junior Masters at the Campbelltown Golf Club, Matheson couldn’t quite find his best form of the last few months, and a horror start to his second round cost him a chance at competing for higher honours in the tournament.
After shooting a nine over par 80 in his first round, which included a deflating run of five dropped shots in his last four holes, the youngster needed a quick start to his second 18 on Monday because he trailed the leaders by five shots, but he didn’t get it.
He took bogey on each of his opening four holes and his chances of pressing for victory had evaporated, though it gives an indication of his quality that he still managed to finish well and truly in the top 10 of the category even after his second round 79.
The victory belonged to Strathfield Golf Club junior Tony Jung, who started with a four over 75 and backed that up with a quality display in his second round to fire a 73, enough to beat fellow first round leader Daniel Kolar (St Michael’s Golf Club) by a single shot.
Matheson’s older brother Ben competed alongside a third Bathurst junior in Jack Bye for the 16s and over classification and both fared reasonably well.
Ben Matheson started the tournament in slow style, shooting an 85 to get his campaign underway and losing contact with the leaders almost immediately.
He fought back strongly on day two and carded a much-improved 79, enough for him to finish 18th.
The field was destroyed by a masterclass from Grose River Golf Club product Ryan Bentley who finished at plus five after a two under 69 in his second round.
That effort put him five shots clear of his nearest rival, Hayden Webb from Howlong Creek.
Bye meanwhile finished tied for 24th off the stick in the division after hitting back strongly from a disastrous opening round 91 to shoot 79 in round two.
He fared well in the nett competition also, doing well enough to claim 12th at two over, behind Bentley at 11 under.