YOUNGSTERS LOZUSIC AND VINSKI DOMINATE AUSCRO 2008

After months of preparation by the host club (CGC MELBOURNE), the tournament got underway with 108 players from all over Australia descending upon Gisborne for the 11^th annual AusCro Golf Tournament.

15 year old Ilija Soldan from Brisbane along with Joe Franjic from CGC MELBOURNE were the youngest competitors and our most senior players were from Wombats in Melbourne at 73 and 74 respectively being Sasha Kolundrovic and Tony Rebrovic.

Well before dawn, Ange Cimera and his team had started breakfast preparations of bacon, onions and BBQ sausages,with juice and hot coffee to feed our guests. After the formalities were over the first days play got underway in somewhat overcast and cold conditions. As all the players were trying to play good golf the 3 or 4 showers throughout the morning and a strong wind made play extremely difficult. The preparation of the golf course was superb and full credit to the Gisborne Golf Club for really putting on a great stage for what was to come. The best Gross Score of the day was handed in by Ivan Majdandzic from Canberra with a respectable 80. Group A winner on the 1^st Day was by 17 Year Old Adam Lozusic from Sydney, with a Nett Score of 71. The B Group winner was to be our very first ever female entrant in AusCro Miss Anita Ribic from the Wombats Golf Club in Melbourne with a Nett Score of 72.

As the first days golf was over, so were the 2 lambs and Pork Rolls that were to be served Hot, as well as everybodies favourite cevapi, raznici and a variety of salads. Needless to say nobody went home hungry!

The second days play got underway after the ususal healthy breakfast and the Melbourne weather turned on its usual charm with rain and Arctic winds that made it even more challenging. The one saving grace was the alcoholic beverages being served on course by none other than the Vice President of the Gisborne Golf Club and eberybodies favourite, Rudi Horvat. The staright shots of whiskey were enough to keep the players warm enough inside to persevere even if he was charging $2.50 extra for the ice!

The winning Gross Score on the 2^nd day was handed in by multiple Green Jacket winner Frank Jugovic from OzCro Golf Club in Melbourne. Group A was won by Branko Mijatovic from Geelong Golf Club who shot a brilliant Nett Score of 69 in what was very trying conditions. The ice breaker Anita Ribic from Wombats Golf Clun was in superb form for the second day running and once again beat over a 100 males with a Nett Score of 70 to take out Group B and take the overall lead of the competition after Day 2.

After two cold and wet days of golf,the players were once again enjoying the Melbourne hospitality which included lignje,crab salad, scotch fillet and more hot lamb and a variety of salads.

The 3^rd and final days play saw the conditions dramatically improve with sunshine, clear skies and little to no wind to speak of; literally the conditions were ideal for golf. It has been speculated that after 2 ordinary and cold days Fr Luka Pranjic (a mad golfer himself) from Adelaide must have said a few extra prayers and spoken to the man in charge upstairs the night before as fine conditions were prevalent for the rest of the day.  

Our seniors competition was warming up as Zlatko Saric from Adelaide(148) had a narrow lead over former AusCro President Rade Krile from Canberra (149) as well as Vinko Glavas from CGC Melbourne (149) with Miro Franjic from CGC Melbourne a further three shots back. After the final 18 testing holes Rade Krile was able to prevail and ended up winning with a score of 229 from Vinko Glavas a further 2 shots back on 231.

The Championship (NETT) Competition saw a very congested leader board with 17 players within 9 shots of the leader for the Blue Jacket. A slender lead was held by a brave and courageous Anita Ribic on 142, young Adam Lozusic a shot behind on 143 was determined to join the ever growing list of young gun champions  and the very experienced duo of Branko Matijevic (146) and Elvis Labas (146). The pressure was felt by the boys when Anita parred the first 2 holes and looked likely to create a huge upset. But as the game progressed young Adam Lozusic shoy a brilliant 40 on the back nine to finish with a nett score of 214 and secure the title of “AusSro 2008 CHAMPION” and the Blue Jacket from a very consistant Elvis Labas a further 3 shots back on 217.

All the drama was to unfold in the fight for the Green Jacket. Playing in the last Group saw Frank Jugovic from OzCro leading (161) with, Des Nemeth (CGC Melbourne) 1shot behind (162), Ivan Majdandzic from Canberra 3 shots behind and Josip Vinski 6 shots adrift. After the first nine holes Des Nemeth was on equal terms with Frank Jugovic and the other two players seemingly out of contention. Nementh appeared to have the measure of Jugovic over the next 4 holes as Jugovic was feeling the heat. But in a late surge Vinski applied the blow torch to Nemeth to catch up 6 shots in 5 holes and lead by 1 in the closing holes.

Coming to the 18^th both players had no idea where they were in relationship to the lead,as they  came off the course to add the scores they were to realize that they had created history by finishing on the same score and a play off was to decide the winner. Given Vinski’s sudden death record (3 from 3) it was not looking good fro Nemeth and with Vinski parring the first play off hole he was able to become the Off The  Stick (Gross) Champion and the Green Jacket.

The interstate challenge was won for the very first time by the team from CGC MELBOURNE which comprised of  Zvonko Cvitkovic, Joe Franjic, Josip Vinski, Frank Bajer.JNR, Tony Cikoja,Timi Zivolic, Bobby Princip and Des Nemeth helped secure the victory in the end.

Winners on the 3^rd day were; B Group Nett with 66 was Daniel Jukic from Wombats , A Group Winner and Blue Jacket Adam Lozusic with a Nett Score of 71 and off the stick Gross Score of 78 Josip Vinski and the winner of the Green Jacket for 2008.

The celebrations continued long into the night at the Croatian DOM in Footscray along with 250 players and guests enjoying the entertainment provided by the one and only Major Minor.

Thank you to all the players that made this tournament a memorable one and for the friendships, mateship, portsmanship and fun times. Just as importantly  Thanks to all the sponsors who made this tournament possible especially our Major Sponsor Mr Tony Vujic from the Pumphouse Hotel as well as D&A Pulitano Construction and Mr Peter Milkovic from P&A Construction.

WE HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL BACK IN BRISBANE IN 2009.

DAY 1

GROUP A NETT-                                   ADAM LOZUSIC 71 ON C/B

GROUP B NETT-                                   ANITA RIBIC      72

OFF THE STICK-                                   IVAN MAJDANDZIC- 80

NTP HOLE 2-                                        ZLATKO SARIC

NTP HOLE 4 -                                      IVAN ZANETIC

NTP HOLE 12-                                      JOHN PAVKOVIC

NTP HOLE 16-                                      STEVE DJOPA

CASH HOLE -                                       IVAN MILANOVIC

LONGEST DRIVE HOLE 6 -                   TOM CURIC

LONGEST DRIVE HOLE 11 -                 MATE ZOVAK

DAY 2

GROUP A NETT -                                  BRANKO MATIJEVIC - 69

GROUP B NETT -                                  ANITA RIBIC  - 70

OFF THE STICK -                                  JURE SARIC - 80  ON C/B

NTP HOLE 2 -                                       ANTE SARCEVIC

NTP HOLE 4 -                                       MATE BATINOVIC

NTP HOLE 12 -                                     JOHN PAVKOVIC

NTP HOLE 16 -                                     STEVE PAVLOVIC

CASH HOLE -                                       MATE BATINOVIC

LONGEST DRIVE HOLE 3 -                   TIMI ZIVOLIC

LONGEST DRIVE HOLE 14 -                 JOEY STIPANCIC

DAY 3

GROUP A -                                           ADAM LOZUSIC - 71 0N C/B

GROUP B -                                           DANIEL JUKIC - 66

OFF THE STICK -                                  JOSIP VINSKI - 78

NTP HOLE 2 -                                       IVAN PETRIC

NTP HOLE 4 -                                       VINKO RAJCIC

NTP HOLE 12 -                                     DRAZEN KEKES

NTP HOLE 16                                       JOSIP FRANJIC

CASH HOLE -                                       VINKO RAJCIC

LONGEST DRIVE HOLE 7 -                   TIMI ZIVOLIC

LONGEST DRIVE HOLE 13 -                 MATE ZOVAK

SPONSORS TROPHY -                         TONY CIKOJA FOR RED EMMA - 68

BEST SENIOR -                                    RADE KRILE 229

INTERSTATE TROPY -                         CGC MELBOURNE

BLUE JACKET RUNNER UP -               ELVIS LABAS - 217

BLUE JACKET NETT WINNER -           ADAM LOZUSIC - 214

GREEN JACKET GROSS WINNER -     JOSIP VINSKI - 245

IN A PLAY OFF WITH DES NEMETH.