Great Southern Women’s Golf Association Championships ends in all-Denmark affair as Dawson takes nett victory

Under sunshine and blue skies, a Denmark duo mastered the pristine golfing conditions and rapid Albany Golf Club greens to notch victories in the annual Great Southern Women’s Golf Association Championships at the weekend. Sharon Dawson and Annette Harbron outlasted more than 60 golfers from across the region, including Mt Barker, Gnowangerup, Kojonup and Green Range, to clinch gross and nett titles respectively. After 218 rounds of golf, Dawson was crowned the gross champion with an impressive score of 163, two strokes ahead of former winner Marion Nelson, also from Denmark, in second. Dawson trailed Nelson by five shots after Saturday’s rounds, but following a scintillating performance on the back nine on Sunday, she powered ahead to claim her second title. “Yeah, it was terrific and I didn’t expect to get it after my golf on Saturday, but I played quite well on Sunday,” Dawson said. “The greens were really fast and tricky but once I got used to it, I had a good back nine and she (Nelson) missed a few putts, so it just fell my way. “I’m not someone who keeps an eye on the scores, so I just kept trying to make pars as best as I could . . . and I was pretty pleased by the end of it when I found out I won. “I won my first one in Denmark in 2021 . . . no matter when you win or how many times, it’s just great, it’s lovely and great to catch up with all the women again.” Harbron took out the Vi Heberle Memorial Trophy after a nett score of 145, three shots better than Albany’s Sally Carey in second. Albany’s Carol Pickles won the veterans class in front of Anna Wolf (Denmark) and Marion Tindale (Albany) and Christine Randall (Denmark) and Hanna Wilkes (Albany) were runners-up in division two. Mt Barker’s Kerry Steicke claimed Saturday’s 18-hole gross while Albany’s Wendy Ferguson netted Sunday’s and Kojonup’s Cathy Wright snagged Saturday’s nett result and Denmark’s Doreen Hughes won Sunday’s. Mt Barker’s Ev Hutchinson and Leanne Warren took out Friday’s four-ball-best-ball event with a score of +9, pinching victory from Mt Barker’s and Albany Golf Club’s Carol Chillcott and Lorraine Wilson with +7. The annual tournament moves between golf courses throughout the region, attracting top Great Southern female golfers who compete for the title.