Gooey held a one point lead over Henry & Schimma going into the final stanza to break the biggest drought in Massey history and The Bean was also still a chance just 3 points off the pace. Q & Robbo were within 4.5 & 5.5 respectively but with only 9 players in the field it would be difficult to pass all those ahead of them..

The Groups were drawn..... PW/RW/JG, GM/MR/MH & AS/SL/IQ with Gooey & Q also playing off for Matchplay glory.

At the half way mark the scores were:
Jimmy 21, Gooey 18 (solid start!), Robbo 17, Glenn 16, Schimma 14, Beano 14, Henry 12 (Gone?), Q 11 (completely gone!!) & Michael 10.

The Match Play final had Gooey way out in front - 4up at the half.
 
So, the "live ladder" at half time would see Gooey in front with a 3.5 point lead over Schimma, 6 over Henry and 6.5 to Beano &  Robbo. While Jimmy The Griff was on target to break the Murray Course stableford record of 40 points.

After a disappointing front nine, Henry made a major surge in desperate pursuit of another crown where, after 7 holes he was 1 under the card! But, bogies on the last two holes could prove costly. Meanwhile, Gooey had started to choke a little and had four 1 pointers over the last six holes. Would it be enough?
No choking for The Griff as he carved up the back nine easing out another 23 points to smash the course record.

Then it was back to the balcony in the warm sunshine for the reading of the scores / points and the winners presentations.

Scores were:
Jimmy 44 (21 out / 23 in), Glenn 37 (16/21), Robbo 34 (17/17), Gooey 33 (18/15), Henry 32 (12/20), Mike 30 (10/20), Schimma 29 (14/15), Beano 28 (14/14) & Q 24 (11/13).

The Two Day Aggregate individual total prizemoney went to Jimmy following his faultless 44 point final round to close with a combined 79 points over Robbo on 73 others were:
GM & SL 70, IQ 67, PW & MH 66, RW 61 & AS 59.

Gooey, who last won The Massey in 1988/89, moves up from 4th place overall to now hold a slender one point lead over Schimma & Henry while Beano has slipped back to 4th but only 3 points back.

COURSE RECORD STAB:  I.Quinton 43 (prev. J.Griffiths 42 in 2018/19 & 2015/16)
PERSONAL COURSE BEST STAB:  I.Quinton 43 (prev. 32)
PERSONAL COURSE BEST STAB:  M.Robinson 39 (prev. 31)
PERSONAL COURSE BEST STAB:  S.Lamey 37 (prev. 31)

Nancarrow's Cup Match Play semi finalists were Gooey v Schimma and Beano v Quinny - Beano's 9th SF in 11 years of Matchplay.

After 9 holes Gooey turned 1 up while Beano "The Invincible" lost the last five holes to be 6 down at the half!
With three holes to play Gooey & Schimma were all square (no more than one hole diff all match) until Gooey won the next two to record a 2 & 1 victory and advance to his 2nd consecutive final. Meanwhile, Bean managed to hold that scoreline until the 13th and went down 6 & 5 (and he was pressuring the editor to get on with the wrap up???)

Once again we were well short of a full field with only 9 starters for the weekend away with Kenny (inj), Murph & Fussy (omitted?).

Bean & Henry now take the lead in The Massey with Schimma doing enough to claim 3rd just 1.5 points astern. Gooey faltered to 4th spot but only 3 points away.

The Scoot's VB Classic Team results were:
PW/SL/JG -  39pts (brought ball home)
RW/GM/MH -  36pts (brought ball home)
MR/IQ/AS - 35pts (brought ball home)

COURSE RECORD STROKES:  P.West 75 (36/39) (prev. P.West 77 in 2012/13)
COURSE RECORD STAB:  J.Griffiths 42 (=prev. J.Griffiths 42 in 2015/16)
PERSONAL COURSE BEST STAB:  J.Griffiths 42 (=prev. 42)
PERSONAL COURSE BEST STAB:  A.Sawyer 39 (prev. 34)
PERSONAL BEST STAB:  P.West 40 (= prev. 40)

Kenny, Murph & Mike were withdrawals this time on another perfect day for golf. With the three scratchings and 4 matchplays available to be completed, the options were either groups of 4, 3 & 2  or  4 & 5. Therefore, it was decided that Scoot's VB Classic be postponed to the first day at Yarrawonga where we will have two groups of 3 and one of 4. Hopefully!

Fusspots came out with all guns blazing shooting the top score of 40 points (21 out & 19 in) off the tiger tees (after Henry sucked us all in to playing - totally different track than what we are used too). Equal 2nd were Gooey (15/20), Robbo (20/15) & Bean (14/21). The Bean has now compiled three 2nd places in a row to move into 2nd place overall after missing the first round. However, it is Gooey who has snuck into the overall lead after another podium finish at the track.

Other scores were:
Glenn 33 (14/19), Jimmy 32 (19/13), Schimma 30 (12/18), Henry 27 (10/17) & Q 18 (10/8).

Kenny & Murph were scratchings and the sub was none other than former Massey player David Twite.

Henry is making the most of the HIGH handicap that he accumulated last year winning the day with a personal best stableford score of 40 (21 out / 19 in) with the evergreen Bean not far behind shooting a 38 (19/19), quickly making up ground after missing the first round. Gooey rounded out the podium with a fine 36 (16/20) to be right amongst the leaders.

Henry and Schimma now tie for first place overall with Mike slipping to third after finishing ninth here. There is currently only 9 points separating the top nine after 3 rounds with one more round before the final weekend.

Other scores were:
Schimma 35 (17/18), Glenn 31 (15/16), Robbo 30 (16/14), Q 30 (17/13), Fussy 29 (14/15), Jimmy 24 (11/13), Mike 24 (14/10) & Twat 23 (9/14).

Kenny & Fussy were scratchings on another mild but ideal sub twenties day for golf.

Michael backed up his 4th place in round 1 with a stellar round here of 42 points (17 out / 25 in) to take the win. While Beano also compiled a very smart 40 points (19/21) in his first hit out for the season and Henry bounced back with 39 points (21/18). Meanwhile the smart arse from round one went from chocolates to boiled lollies in last place with a 26!

The win also now puts Mike in the overall lead with 20.5 Massey points, clear of Murph & Schimma in second spot with 17.

Other scores were:
Robbo 37 (16/21), Gooey 36 (22/14), Schimma 33 (16/17), Murph 32 (18/14), Glenn 29 (13/16), Jimmy 28 (19/9) & Q 26 (12/14).

A beautiful day for our first round of the year with windless, mild and pleasant conditions playing the back nine first. With the Bean as a late scratching

Q gets himself off to a healthy start this season with a scintillating 45 points (23 out / 22 in) with Murph very unlucky to finish 2nd on 44 points (22/22) which represents the equivalent of around 76 stokes (albeit with one hole wiped) and Schimma rounds out the podium with a handy 39.(19/20) .While Kenny, obviously struggling with his damaged wrist, retired hurt with an incomplete round of only 6 points after 9 holes.

Other scores were:
Glenn 37 (21/16), Mike 37 (12/25), Fussy 35 (14/21), Gooey 34 (18/16), Jimmy 34 (15/19), Henry 32 (16/16), Robbo 28 (19/9), Kenny (6/- DNF after 9 holes).

COURSE RECORDS:    Stableford - I.Quinton 45 (prev. M.O'Connor 41 - 09/10)
PERSONAL BEST:       Stableford - D.Murphy 44 ( prev 42 - Rosebud CC (South) 15/16 & Centenary Park 06/07)

With only 3.5 points separating Bean, Schimma, Murph & Gooey we were off to the Black Bull GC on a very unYarrawonga like cold & rainy day for the conclusion to season 2017/18.

At the half way mark the scores were:
Murph (off to a flyer!) 22, Schimma 19, Robbo 19, Fussy 18, Glenn 18, Quinny 16, Mike 16, Beano 13 (gone!), Jimmy 10  & Gooey 9 (also gone!).

The Match Play final had Michael turn 2 up at the half with Gooey winning the ninth to stay within reach.
 
So, barring any miracles it was now down to just Murph & Schimma head to head!. With Schimma only 0.5 point ahead of Murph going into the final game means that Muph now leads The Massey by 0.5 a point (or by 3 stableford points to be more precise!)

Remembering that they are in different groups so let's recap their hole by hole situation - Shall we!

10th - Murph has his first wipe while Schimma managed 1 pt (Murph leads by 2);
11th - Murph 2pts / Schimma 1 (Murph by 3);
12th - Murph 2 / Schimma 2;
13th - Murph 2 / Schimma 3 (Murph by 2);
14th - Murph 1 / Schimma 3 (Wow! All Square);
15th - Murph 2 / Schimma 1 (Murph back up by 1);
16th - Murph 2 / Schimma 1 (Murph now by 2) - Was the little man in his head starting to whisper?...
17th - Murph - /  Schimma 2 (Murph missed his approach way right and was beginning to scramble - I mean CHOKE! - up by 1)
18th - Murph - /  Schimma 1 (Murph way right again on approach, below right hand bunker - down hill  and couldn't get up & down

Hot coffees were the order of the day rather than cold beers in the Pro Shop where we awaited the all clear from the scorer that no play off is required. Then back to the Lake Edge Resort for the reading of the scores / points.

Scores were:
Robbo 40 (19 out / 21 in), Glenn 34 (18/16), Schimma 33 (19/14), Murph 33 (22/11), Mike 32 (16/16), Fussy 31 (18/13), Q 30 (16/14), Jimmy 26 (10/16), Beano 21 (13/8) & Gooey 21 (9/12).

Aggregate individual weekend total prizemoney went to Robbo following his 40 point final round to close with a combined 71 points over Schimma 67 others were:
DM 65, GM 64, MO 58, IQ 54, SL & JG 53, MH 52 & AS 51.

The prizemoney for the Pairs event in the final round went to the combination of Robbo & Glenn on 74 (40/34), then RW/IQ 63 (33/30), MO/JG 57 (31/26), DM/AS 54 (33/21) & MH/SL 53 (32/21).

Only 10 starters made it away for the weekend with Kenny & Henry both being ruled out for the finals due to injury.

Bean did enough though to maintain a 1 point lead over Schimma, 1.5 over Murph, 3.5 to Gooey, 7 to Glenn and 9.5 to Mike the only other mathematical chance.

HANDICAP WORST:  M.Hall 34.1 (prev. 33.5)