Sport
26 June, 2026
Fierce fight for titles as weather plays havoc across course
WILD weather, waterlogged greens and a fierce fight for titles set the tone for this year’s Innisfail Golf Club championships, as golfers battled everything from torrential rain to howling winds across the weekend of 13-14 June.
The opening morning was a test of patience and resilience.
After just 30 minutes of play, the course was declared unplayable, forcing competitors to bunker down while heavy showers swept through and greens disappeared under sheets of water.
Once conditions improved, the morning groups pushed on, though they certainly drew the short straw weather wise. Sunday offered some relief, but only slightly.
By contrast, the afternoon groups were greeted by blue skies and far friendlier fairways.
Even so, strong winds kept scoring difficult and players had to work hard to stay in contention. Sunday’s milder conditions allowed the championship battles to truly take shape.
In the division 2 ladies, Regina Gattera and Cindy Cockle are locked in a tight contest, both producing steady golf despite limited playing time in recent months.
The C-grade men’s leaderboard remains wide open, with just 10 shots separating the top four. Garry Breitkreutz leads the pack after two solid rounds, while Peter Milani, returning from surgery and swinging a club for the first time in six weeks, sits an impressive five shots back. Norm Stewart and Trent Baptiste also surged to finish inside the top four.
In B-grade, Luke Peters showed grit through the cold, wet morning conditions to hold a three shot lead over Amandeep Singh, who has remarkably returned after a two and a half month break. Stephen and Colin Lyons remain well within striking distance.
The A-grade men’s championship is shaping into a thriller. Jake Cockle delivered two composed rounds to build a seven shot buffer, but with Andrew Rose in pursuit, nothing is guaranteed.
Rose is also leading the senior men’s division, where he is fending off challenges from Robert Butorac and Ian Saunderson. With such tight competition, the club is even considering splitting the senior men into A, B and C grades this year.
As the championships head toward their conclusion, every division remains alive and after a weekend of wild weather and determined play, anything could still happen.
Wednesday All Sporters - 10 June
1st: Rob Mills 28pts c/b
2nd: Kevin Walsh 28pts
3rd: Jim Ferguson 25pts
NTP - Norm Stewart.