King Challenge Tropical 2006 - Final hole showdown
January 6th, 2007 by Doogs
Cairns and the tropical North hosted the final King Challenge for 2006. With only Mike and Steve registering for the Challenge it was going to be another classic mate against mate standoff between the two King tour veterans.
The tense competition shows on the faces of Mike and Steve
Round 1 – Paradise Palms
Paradise Palms hosted the first round a couple of days before Christmas. The course had hosted a previous Challenge, and in warm and humid conditions it was Steve starting the strongest, though the golf wasnt great and it wasnt until the 8th hole that Steve scored the first par of the day opening up a 3 point lead (Stableford). Mike hit back on the next hole firing his first well hit shot of the day, a 6 iron close to the pin. The resulting birdie got Mike back to 1 pt of Steve.
Steve tees off on 14
The backnine was a war zone early, with 9 pts scored between both players over the first 5 holes! Steve got on the par train on the 15th and 16th, and hung on to carry a 1 point lead into the next round.
Mike sends an approach shot into the 18th
Round 2 – Andy’s Links
Andy’s Links was included in the King Challenge for the first time, Mike and Steve both carded a solid 39 strokes around the course as part of the Wongabel Shield, and with handicap indexes, ACRs and CCRs non-existent, Steve maintained his 1 point lead into the final round.
Andys Links – 5th “Green”
Round 3 – Mirage Country Club
With only a point in it, the final round was always going to be close. 
Again Steve started off well, parring the second and building his lead to 3 pts by the fifth hole. Steve’s misfiring driver off the tee on the 5th, got Mike back into the game then Mike’s par on the 7th gave him the lead into the back nine.
Mythbusters: Do Croissants adversely affect the golf game?
A rest stop was taken at the Bakery between the 8th green and 9th tee as the boys were keen to grab a traditional King Challenge croissant. This tradition dates back to the Murray Challenge in 2000 and the infamous Rohan and the croissant incident that many say cost him the Challenge. We both ate an Almond Croissant and the golf was average over the next couple of holes, with a couple of big mistakes. Result: The myth is plausible!
Mike gets stuck into a croissant
The lead was tied again on the 11th before a costly short game error for Steve on the 12th put Mike back in front. Mike then hooked his tee shot into the lake on the 13th as Steve’s par got him to the lead! Mike birdied 15 and parred 16 to even up the leaderboard, and both players went to the tee on the par 3 18th tied for the lead.
With Mike off first his 7 iron was unusually well struck and started left fading back towards the pin leaving a makeable putt for birdie. Steve’s tee shot was right and left him with a tricky chip from a greenside hollow. The chip was at the hole running past the edge and leaving a short putt, but no gimme. Mike’s birdie attempt lipped out and the resultant par put the pressure on Steve to sink the putt to tie. The putt ran past the edge of the hole leaving Mike with a 1 point lead and retaining the Purple Jacket by the narrowest of margins.
Round 1 – Paradise Palms
Steve 29 pts (17,12)
Mike 28 pts (16,12)
Round 2 – Andys Links
Steve 38
Mike 38
Round 3 – Mirage
Steve 31 pts (13,18)
Mike 33 pts (17.16)