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Madang Golf Open 2009

Coke partners a successful Madang Open tournament
By AIVA TAMATE

DESPITE heavy rain and a wet green, the Coca-Cola Madang Golf Open finished on a high note last Sunday with double celebrations for the prize winners, an occasion which also coincided with Mother's Day.

With major sponsors Coca-Cola Amatil donating K20,000 to the Madang Country Club and a promise of backing the event next year, organising committee member Max Kitau said they were overwhelmed at the additional support since the withdrawal of major sponsors British American Tobacco.

"Coca-Cola supported us last year with K20,000 and repeated the gesture again this year and have given their assurance that they will come to the party next year," Kitau said.

"The Madang Golf Open is a recognised event in the PNG golf calendar, and this year's event attracted players from Kimbe, Tabubil, Wewak Lae, Ramu and Sydney.

"So I believe we had a very successful event."

Kitau said the event was graced by the presence of senior officials from Coca-Cola - Ruhan Natleen, the regional manager for Momase, and David Yere, a professional PNG golfer.

The winners of the golf tournament in the men's A -grade division was Robin James, who is ranked second in PNG golf after Nelson Gabriel, also from Madang but now residing in Port Moresby. Christine Seeko took out the women's A-grade honours.

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PNG Golf Open 2009

Michael has the Wright stuff in PNG
By Bruce Young

Queenslander Michael Wright has made a dream start to the 2009 Sunshine Tour by winning the opening two events of the season. Wright's win at the $100,000 Papua New Guinea Open followed his six shot victory at last week's Morobe Open in Lae.

This week's winning margin was not quite as large but Wright still dominated the tournament from the start and eventually won by two over Sam Brazel from New South Wales and by five over another New South Welshman Jason Ashcroft and Victoria's Heath Reed.

The Sunshine Tour or Troppo Tour as it was previously known now heads back to Queensland for a series of events through the mining areas Blackwater, Emerald, Dysart and Middlemount starting on May 13th.

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PNG amateur golf champion to turn pro

By TALIO PANAO

PAPUA New Guinean amateur golfer Nelson Gabriel made history last Sunday after claiming the amateur crowns of the recent Morobe Open and South Pacific Export PNG Golf Open tournaments. Gabriel beat the field of amateurs in the Morobe Open two weeks ago and repeated the feat against the amateurs in the PNG Open last Sunday.

His impressive effort last weekend earned him the South Pacific Export PNG Golf Open champion's award - a golf bag and putter. The Madang-born Gabriel, 30, did the PNG Open with 292 strokes, the best among the amateurs. In fact, he did better than PNG professionals David Yere (301) and Augustine Peni (309) after the four rounds. Gabriel, when graded among the professionals, finished in the top 15. With this, he showed he had performed better than 58 professionals from New Zealand, Australia, Fiji and PNG.

Nelson told The National after the PNG Open that he would be turning professional next year. He said his application for his new status had been processed. "I will play the PNG Open next year as a professional," the excited Gabriel said. He said he was thankful to the people who had been behind him all the way in his emergence as a golfer.

"I thank Paddle Thorpe Architects for believing in me and sponsoring me for the Lae Open and the PNG Open," he said.

"I won both, and the full credit of my achievement is attributed to my sponsors," he said.

"I also thank my family for being behind me and supporting me all through my golfing career," Gabriel added.

He said his current sponsors had pledged to support him through his professional golfing campaign next year.

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