Matt Walz wins record equalling eighth Taree golf championship

Walz took charge from day one when he carded 68. He followed this with 67, 73 and 71 for total of 279, one under par for the four rounds.

He is the Manning River Times-Iguana Sport Award winner for this week, earning a $50 open order at Iguana.

Walz, 39, has now drawn level with Peter Doherty on eight wins. Doherty won his last title in 2009 and as often been the case in the years since, he was runner up to Walz, finishing on 293.

"I was really happy with it,'' Walz said. "I was hitting the ball pretty good going into the championship.

"There's no guarantees in golf, but I played pretty solid in pennants and played okay at the Australian amateurs - even if I didn't do too good.''

Walz said it was his intention to consolidate his lead after his opening two round blitz.

"This can go pretty pear-shaped pretty quickly in golf,'' he said.

"So I probably focused more in the last two weeks than the first two. I didn't want to let it slip.''

There are no events on the immediate horizon for Walz.

"I'll probably have a little break for a few weeks and then see what's happening. Hopefully there's some Lower North Coast (Golf Association) stuff coming up,'' he said.

He'll target the country championship to be played in August-September.

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Walz also wants to contest the Australian amateurs to be played in Queensland early next year following his first foray into the event last January at the St Michaels course in Sydney.

"If I'm good enough to get in I'm hoping to take a bit of time off work, travel there and give it a bit of a go,' he said.

"It's an awesome experience.''

Walz explained that it's not just a case of nominating and turning up to play in the championship.

"I'll have to apply and be in a certain handicap range,'' he said.

"Then they pick who they want basically.''

Walz's handicap currently stands at +2.

He started playing golf when he was about 10.

"Dad and his brothers all played golf. I played league, touch, soccer, tennis, all the other sports when I was younger,'' he said.

"But then golf just took over. That's all I do now.''

However, he doesn't spend all his spare time on the course.

"I work every second weekend and I have my daughter every weekend I have off, so I have to get mum to look after my little one,'' he said.

"With champs and major things I have to book ahead with work and organise things.''

Longer term his plan is to move clear of Doherty by winning his ninth club title next year.

"That's the objective,'' he said.

"Hopefully I can stay fit and have a few years ahead of me yet.''