Kurt Cusack's been playing the Wellington Open since he was 13 but, over the course of the last decade, he's never hit the ball like he did last Sunday.
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The 23-year-old broke through for his maiden open crown - on his home course, no less - against a crack field that includes Central West District Golf Association big guns Robert Payne and Mark Hale.
Cusack finished with a three-under 69, a single shot ahead of Dubbo's Matt Gleeson who shot a two-under par 70.
The Wellington Golf Club member defied some "pretty ordinary" putting to sneak home with the win.
"When I came off the 18th they said two-under was leading so I knew I was ahead there, but there there was two or three groups to go," Cusack said.
I thought the greens were tough, I putted pretty ordinary but I struck the ball well
- Wellington Open winnner Kurt Cusack.
None of which could catch him.
"I was pretty excited," he added.
"Payne, Hale, they've all been there done that plenty of times in the past, at Wellington as well. Being my first time winning with that sort of field, I was pretty happy about that."
Cusack said he's played the best golf of his career over the course of the last eight months and he's thrilled to have come out on top on Sunday, on the back of some clean hitting off the tee.
"I thought the greens were tough, I putted pretty ordinary but I struck the ball well," he said.
"I just didn't sink too many putts."
The event was well supported by clubs from across the region, with over 130 golfers taking on the Wellington Open.
An impressive 36 members from the Dubbo Golf Club made the trip over while Duntryleague (18), Mudgee (15) and Wentworth (11) all sent strong contingents.
Duntry big-hitter Dean Turner took out the A grade handicap title with a score of 69, just ahead of Peak Hill's Andrew Brownlow, while Bradd Hyland (Dubbo) and Paul Glynn (Molong) won the lower grade handicap events with scores of 70 each in the B and C grade races.
In the lower grade scratch, Kieran Baker (Wellington) won B grade with 82 off the stick and Wentworth's Justin Quinn hit a scratch score of 88 to take out C grade.
Cusack's been playing in his home open for 10 years and he says the support the Wellington club receives from the wider CWDGA community was terrific.
"The club looks after the people that come down and they get the course in good nick, it's a great tournament," Cusack added.
Nick McGrath
Editor, Central Western Daily
Editor, Central Western Daily
