TAREE golfer Craig Allport thought he'd blown his chances of winning the Lower North Coast championship played at Tallwoods when he had a four over par on the 12th hole.
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"I was three under par through nine and playing pretty well,'' Allport said.
"Then I had the eight on the 12th - four over - and I thought that was the end.''
However, Allport rallied in the remaining holes to win the title by one shot to Port Macquarie's Dave Baggott.
Allport is the Manning River Times-Iguana Sport Award winner, earning a $50 open order from Iguana. He was nominated from Taree division on pennant captain, Tony Lewis.
The $50 from Iguana is timely, as Allport turns 60 next week.
He'd never played in the LNC championship before. The district takes in clubs from Bulahdelah to Port Macquarie.
"Our vice captain, Oz Bellamy, rang to ask if I was interested in going in it, because I've had a couple of good wins at club level,'' Allport said.
"So I decided I wanted to have a crack.''
He was once a fairly regular player at Tallwoods, although he admits his appearances there in more recent times have been limited. However, he said having some knowledge of the layout was an advantage.
Allport said he's happy with his recent form. "I'm like good red wine - I'm getting better as I'm getting older,'' he said with a laugh.
Spending more time on the course is also an advantage.
"I'm also playing a fair bit more now - most Thursdays and Saturdays,'' he said.
For good measure he was also a member of the team that won the mixed section of the Rotary Club of Taree charity day at Taree in 40 plus degree heat on Australia Day, teaming with his wife, Sue, Brad Allan and Kim Muggleton.
Allport said the LNC title is his most prestigious win, topping the club championship he took out in 2019 and a Harrington open day last year, where he carded an even par round. He has also won a Taree senior championship.
Looking further ahead, Allport is hoping to break Matt Walz's stranglehold on the Taree championship this year, with the event to be played in May.
"I'm hoping to play a couple of events in the senior order of merit as well,'' he added.
"They're generally around August.''
He's enjoying his golf.
"It's always a challenge to try and do better,'' he said.
"And the mateship we have at Taree is great, that's probably the biggest thing.'''
Allport was a relatively late starter to the game, having his first hit when he was 31.
"Bertie Chapman got me into it,'' he said.
He's been playing off scratch for a while, although he was on +1 'for four days.'
