Back-to-back for West Gippsland

West Gippsland's men have gone back-to-back at Golf Australia's Victoria Country Week Teams Matches for the first time since 1992.

Gloomy conditions were forecast in Ballarat for West Gippsland's title defence as the side fielded a strong squad mixed with older players and some exciting young juniors.

West Gippsland was trying to go back-to-back for the first time since 1991-1992. Amazingly both Mark Allen and Peter Brown played in that event and this one.

On the Monday morning at Buninyong Gold Club West Gippsland faced a strong South Western side from Geelong. Out of the seven matches they were all pretty close throughout the round but West Gippsland came out on top, winning 4.2/2.5.

In the afternoon the boys played South Gippsland and although there were some tight matches the men's team were able to win 6/1. After a successful day they were positioned well with a Tuesday afternoon date against the favourites playing at home, Ballarat.

The match was played at Midlands Golf Club in what was practically winner take all. In blustery near freezing conditions West Gippsland and Ballarat got underway with all the matches tight through the first nine holes which made for a wonderful finish and what was about to take place was to be remarkable.

Ballarat got a win on the board early in the first match before West Gippsland ace Ryan Hammond won his match in dominant fashion to make the score 1-1.

Mike Santo was two down with fourholes to play and managed to fight back and win his match on the 18th green to make it 2-1. Morwell duo Tom Couling and Peter Brown lost their matches to put Ballarat up 3-2 with two matches on the course.

Drouin's Mark Allen then came down the 18th with a one-shot lead and proceeded to hit an amazing shot within one foot of the pin and made his birdie to secure a huge win for his team.

With the score now 3-3 with one match on the course things got exciting.
Paul Andrijczak was one up coming down 18 in front of a growing home crowd and the pressure was on.

Paul hit his drive down the middle, as did his opponent. Paul, with a one up lead, then hit his second safely to the centre of the green, leaving him a 40-foot putt for birdie.

His Ballarat opponent then stepped up and hit an unbelievable shot to the delight of the home crowd. Because of Ballarat's superior percentage a draw would be good enough for them to win the shield.

The Ballarat player had a simple tap in for birdie which put the pressure on Paul to make his 40-footer for West Gippsland to win, which was of low probability.

As the crowd went silent Paul lined up his putt and proceeded to roll it straight in the back of the cup, breaking Ballarat hearts but sending his team into celebration as the West Gippsland team secured a 4-3 victory to set up a title defence.

In what some considered a formality the next morning against Murray Darling the boys just needed to win their match to secure the shield and they were able to do so at Ballarat Golf Club on Wednesday morning to secure back-to-back Country Victoria titles.