Knocking off Norman, then a hole-in-one all in a weekend’s work for Tolliday
NOT many golfers can boast breaking a course record held by Greg Norman and then having a hole-in-one on the following day.
The amazing golfing feat was performed by 37-year-old Brett Tolliday on one incredible weekend recently. It started when he shot a seven-under 65 in the opening round of his club championship at Buninyong, near Ballarat, to break the course record previously held by Greg Norman.
Tolliday had seven birdies in his flawless round on the Saturday to clip a shot off Greg Norman’s 66 – the course record that has stood since the late 1970s. If that was not reason enough to celebrate on Saturday night, Tolliday followed up with a hole-in-one on Sunday at the par-three second hole. The ace helped Buninyong tie Midlands in the Ballarat District Golf Association pennant final.
Tolliday admitted he could barely have scripted a better golfing weekend.
“The weekend was simply one of the best weekends I have had in golf,” Tolliday told the Ballarat Courier.
Tolliday said he knew he was on a roll after he birdied the 10th hole on Saturday, to go to four-under.
“After a birdie on 15 put me at six-under, I knew I just needed another birdie to get Norman’s course record,” he said.
“It was a windy day and, being the club championship, you are a bit nervous anyway. On the 18th tee I mentioned it to my playing partners, and they were all aware of it.”
The hole-in-one the following day was, of course, an unexpected bonus.
“I was in a good place. Pennant is one-on-one and I was against Brett Kerry, who is a close mate,” he said.
“On the second hole (Kerry) put it about three foot from the flag. Then I hit off with a nine iron after thinking I just had to get it close. The ball flew straight over the pin and spun right back into the hole.
“He (Kerry) couldn’t have been happier for me. He slapped me on the back and congratulated me.”
The Tolliday versus Kerry match went to the wire, and beyond. They were tied at 18 holes, and played a further five before Tolliday won on the fifth.
The fact that the overall Buninyong-versus-Midlands match tied so that both shared the honours, was probably fitting, Tolliday said. It was Tolliday’s fifth hole-in-one, and his second on the second hole at Buninyong.
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