Sport
2 July, 2024
'Super mum' Chadwick produces big win at City of Mount Isa Open
A local and a visitor claimed the two major trophies up for grabs on the weekend.
There aren’t enough superlatives for Kate Chadwick in the English dictionary but “super mum” is the best way to describe her.
Just seven weeks after giving birth to her second son – this time by caesarean section – the Mount Isa golf star was out on the course carving up her opposition.
Over three rounds, the one-time Kiwi prodigy produced a massive effort to win by 41 strokes in the City of Mount Isa Open women’s championship.
And no, that isn’t a typo. She did win by forty-one strokes in a three-round event.
While Chadwick has been the best female golfer in Mount Isa since she arrived eight years ago, this was the nurse’s best effort on the local fairways.
And because she was pregnant all year, she was unable to do any kind of meaningful practice.
“I had to text my midwife on Thursday to see if I could play,” she told North West Weekly.
“I was very tentative because of the caesarean.”
Once Chadwick got the all-clear she left sons Eli and Jackson, 2, with her fiance Jacob and headed to the Mount Isa Golf Club.
And while seven months away from the golf clubs and a serious medical procedure would stop most, it virtually had no bearing on the A-grader’s performance.
She shot 77 on Friday, backed it up with 78 on Saturday, and then finished off with a one-under par 71 on Sunday.
“I think this was my fourth,” Chadwick said of her impressive record in the event.
“For me, it’s more about playing to around my handicap (2) and I was really happy with today’s round considering I haven’t played since the start of the year.”
Mount Isa is lucky to have the bubbly golfer in its ranks.
“I originally came for agency nursing for 10 weeks and met my partner in the first week,” she said.
“It was meant to be, I think.”
Chadwick was once considered the best female junior golf prospect in New Zealand and was forced to pick between a career in nursing or chasing a professional golf dream.
The multiple New Zealand Maori champion even contested a New Zealand Open before making the move to Mount Isa.
“Golf is an expensive sport to pursue as a career and it’s very hard to make it at the top level,” she said.
When presented with her trophy on Sunday night, Chadwick praised the event’s sponsors, organisers and course superintendent for their efforts in putting on another great Open.
“The course is just getting better and better every year ... for where we are in the middle of nowhere it’s a great course,” she said.
Meanwhile, it was much closer in the men’s field as Home Hill’s Scott Sibson came from behind to win by three strokes in the four-round event.
Local Dave Smith led by one shot on Saturday night but put paid to his winning chance with a nine on one hole, paving the way for scratch golfer Sibson to claim his first City of Mount Isa Open men’s championship.
Runner-up for the second year in a row was Sam Broom.
Sibson praised the club for its hospitality.
“This is one of the best events I have played in,” he said.
“What I’ve enjoyed most is seeing so many people stay back for the presentations. At a lot of clubs, there aren’t as many left at the end.”
CITY OF MOUNT ISA OPEN 2024 HONOUR BOARD
Men’s Open
Champion: Scott Sibson
Nett winner: Shane King
Women’s Open
Champion: Kate Chadwick
Nett winner: Dani Harris
A-grade men gross
Winner: Sam Broom
Runner-up: Dave Smith
A-grade men nett
Winner: Gregory Fuller
Runner-up: David Parkes
A-grade women gross
Winner: Renee Blackman
Runner-up: Tarrene Frost
A-grade women nett
Winner: Angie Sciascia
Runner-up: Rebecca Nankiville
B-grade men gross
Winner: Rhys White
Runner-up: Jos Pousi
B-grade men nett
Winner: Ian Brown
Runner-up: David Stewart
B-grade women gross
Winner: Ulla Allen
Runner-up: Nicole Mills
B-grade women nett
Winner: Sally Dawson
Runner-up: Liz Jakeman
C-grade men gross
Winner: Mark Isaccson
Runner-up: Darren Drake
C-grade men nett
Winner: Jarred Walters
Runner-up: Louis Shaw
C-grade women gross
Winner: Kaydee Steed
Runner-up: Renee Vassallo
C-grade women nett
Winner: Helen Burns
Runner-up: Margie McElligott
Steve Both Memorial Trophy
Winner: Steven Nuku
Runner-up: Pete Longmuir
Men’s Foursomes (Gross)
Winners: Chris McIntosh and Phil Sweeney
Runners-up: Dave Beattie and Marshall Briant
Men’s Foursomes (Nett)
Winners: Ian Brown and Ray Wilson
Runners-up: Rhys White and Gavin Goodall
Women’s Foursomes (Gross)
Winners: Angie Sciascia and Auretta Perrin
Runners-up: Ulla Allen and Sandra Beattie
Women’s Foursomes (Nett)
Winners: Nicole Mills and Dani Harris
Runners-up: Sally Dawson and Renee Vassollo
Mixed Foursomes (Gross)
Winners: Greg Caple and Alison Gordon
Runners-up: Tarrene Frost and Sam Broom
Mixed Foursomes (Nett)
Winners: Margie McElligott and Conrad McElligott
Runners-up: Greg Caple and Alison Gordon