mmg.com.au

Mooroopna exacted revenge against Yarrawonga on Saturday to win a thrilling YSM summer pennant division one golf grand final at Yarrawonga and Border Golf Club.

Mooroopna entered the season decider having beaten Yarrawonga 3-2 in the clubs’ most-recent clash at Tocumwal in January.

But the memories remained of Yarrawonga’s last-gasp 3-2 upset of Mooroopna in last year’s grand final.

Yarrawonga professional Evan Droop scored consecutive birdies in the final two holes of the deciding pairing in that match to split the 2-2 deadlock.

There were no last-minute heroics this time, with Mooroopna securing a 4-1 triumph.

Mooroopna captain Ben MacGibbon was pleased to survive Yarrawonga’s spirited challenge.

‘‘They beat us last year, so it’s good to get one back,’’ MacGibbon said.

‘‘We’re pretty even teams, but we thought with them having the home course that it would be pretty tough.

‘‘It was good to beat our old club pro Shane Casley, too. I’ve spoken to him on the phone every day since to let him know.’’

Four of the five games went down to the 18th hole in the match play format.

Mooroopna won three of those, with Craig Marshall and Grant Young winning 2-up, while Ben MacGibbon and Luke Petherick and Chris Donovan and Wayne Maher claimed their respective contests 1-up.

Mooroopna duo James MacGibbon and Brett Kellow were on the wrong end of a 1-up result, but No. 5 pairing Zac Ginevra and Tim Kuiper got the club off to the perfect start with a four-and-three victory.

Mooroopna and Yarrawonga advanced to the decider with respective wins over Wangaratta and Cobram in the final round of the regular season the previous weekend.

Shepparton will join Mooroopna in division one in next season’s YSM summer pennant season thanks to a 3-2 triumph over Benalla in the division two grand final at the weekend.

Ben MacGibbon said he and his clubmates’ focus would turn to Mooroopna’s club championships in May and the winter pennant series after that.

MacGibbon is chasing a third Mooroopna A-grade championship, while his brother James is aiming for a fifth and Kellow is seeking a third.

Kellow also boasts three Tatura Golf Club titles to his name.