16- 19  March 2023 – Rich River Golf Club

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Recap 1939: Von Nida’s Brilliant Win

With a brilliant final round of 67 Norman von Nida claimed his first NSW ‘close’ golf championship by four strokes from Jim Ferrier at Concord Golf Club. Von Nida’s four round total of 280 or four under par leaving him the only man in red numbers for the tournament.

Described back then as an up-and-coming star, Von Nida and Ferrier, widely regarded as the nation’s best player of the day, went shot-for shot for almost all of the Championship.

The opening day by all reports was miserable with rain and wind coming from all quarters. At the end of the opening 36 holes, however, The Von was three ahead courtesy of an opening round course record six under 65 which he had followed up with a tidy, if unspectacular, one over 72.

The weather on the final day was a marked improvement to the conditions players faced on day one but a strong westerly still made things difficult.

Unfazed but the breeze, Ferrier looked like he seized control of the tournament after a third round one under 70, while Von Nida, after an uncharacteristic 41 going out, could only card a 76.

With his reputation as fierce competitor growing by the day, Von Nida wasn’t done, and stung into action by his moving travails, he soon began the fightback. Beginning his final round with a birdie, The Von put on a display of machine-like golf, grabbing another birdie at the fifth to be out in 34, two under par.

Turning for home, his tee shot to the 10th finished just three feet from the pin to get to three under par , and although he dropped a stroke at the par three 16th, with Ferrier struggling, the race for the championship was all over.

The Bolger brothers, Fred and Bill, tied for third place with a total of 290, a further six shots back.

It was a watershed moment for Von Nida. He had finally turned the tables on Ferrier, who had come from behind to beat him in the Australian Open in Melbourne just weeks prior.

“I played my chip shots like a novice this morning, and missed nine putts of four or five feet,” The Sydney Sun reported Von Nida as saying after his win.

It was von Nida’s first NSW Close Championship Crown. Ferrier had contested the title on nine occasions and won it five times — including the previous four years in succession.

Final Scores:

PosPlayerStae/ NatR1R2R3R4Tot+/-
1N Von Nida 657276 67280 -4
2J Ferrier 6773 7074284 E
3W Bolger73 7174722906
3F Bolger727372732906
5VS Richardson737275732939
6P. F. Hughes78 71737329511
7R Carr 71 71787729713
H Pickworth7373767529713
9D Cullen7474767830218
E Bolger7476767630218
11E Cremin7474797630319
12JD Spence7875787430521
12L Kelly7978737630622
14NS Berwick7276807930723
15J L Larkin7773827630824
16P Sydney Jones7678777931026
B Fitzpatrick7679787731026
WR Fielding7979797331026
H Mailfert7776807731026
20JR Barriskil7478817831127
21TN Peters7978777931329
22NV Bush7480818031531
23HW Hattersley7478838131632
24J Harvey7679837931733
25MG Mayo8476827731935
26T Pellew7781828132137
27B Schaeffer7882828232440
28A Johnson7981778732440
J Palmer8378818632844
30B Mc William8285808333046
31J Fitzhardinge8488808133349
A W Fairfaz8383808733349
33J W Harris8485798633450
34W Gilligan8087858333551
35C J Lloyd8586898934965

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