Gemstone knocks the b*** off

Such was the tension in the leading group on the 1st tee – when Mark Gemstone took to the tee with the world’s most expensive golf ball, no one said a word. 

Gemstone would be a popular champion and surely it would be 3rd time lucky for the player who led in 2019 and 2020 only to be denied by Falcon burglars.

This time he would need to successfully navigate past:

• Horks high flier Smythe
• Auckland burglar Woodward
• The best Swan ever to play in the Johnny Woodpecker – Humperdinck.

Fortunately, Gemstone lost his black and yellow ball on the par 4 third hole and the other players could relax, safe in the knowledge that his $4,550 ball with GPS tracking linked to the pin positions was lost. If he was going to win, he’d have to do it without cheating.

Humperdinck and Woodward started ok but such was the gap between them and Gemstone that Smyth was his only danger. A brilliant tee shot on the par three 4th to within 9 feet of the pin put the leader under early pressure only for Smyth to implode and end up further from the pin 3 putts later. 

A chip in on the next hole for an eagle put some pressure back on Gemstone but from then on, Gemstone cruised through the remainder of the round with only a few suspect shots questioned by Humperdinck, such as his 3rd shot from across the road of an adjacent neighbour’s front lawn.

In the end it was a comfortable and deserved win for the popular Magpie, becoming the 22nd different player to win the Woodpecker.

He could finally relax and enjoy the moment with a cheeky whole.