The 2018 Cup wound its way back to the filthiness that is the NSW Central Coast but back to the pristine Magenta Shoes GC, the site of the 2015 War on the Shore.

So, the stage was set, this was the rematch the fans had craved, and the SILVERBACKS were looking for sweet revenge... Tedesco had finally been asked to step down as the SILVERBACKS skipper making way for his long-term friend, Nick Murdoch a 10-Tour veteran who was finally ready to take the rains. Whilst the SILVERBACKS board were thankful for the guidance Tedesco provided during the rebirth of this great Tour, he will be unfortunately remembered as one of the worst win percentage captains in the history of the Governors Cup, but what the stats do not record is how he single handily saved Tour and that must be commended.

Early on the media were a buzz about the new look SILVERBACKS line-up, new Captain Murdoch had assemble a squad fit to challenge for the 2018 Governors Cup. Notably Chef Hudson had been overlooked for the more fancied Cameron "The Rook" Turnbull. Immediate effects of this were felt as the SILVERBACKS came out boxing, taking out both Day 1 Ambrose matches highlighted by FBS annihilating The Institute and thus becoming one of the greatest Ambrose duos The GC has ever seen, claiming the coveted [ATR] for Highest Winning Margin in an Ambrose Match 7 & 6

The BLUE DEVILS backs were well and truly against the wall and the gallery sensed something specials was unfolding, crowds swelling to break all-time attendance records all anticipating what would become of the Day 2 ALTERNATES fixtures. But during all of this, what was undeniable was the media's fixation on the DEVILS skipper John Bligh Suttor VI and his greed to continue at the helm of the DEVILS having won all there was on offer the year before, he could have retired at the top as the greatest ever Capatin. The media were relentless, insisting he had lost the locker-room and as a player he appeared distant and disinterested. Alas back to the fairway action, both Alternates matches came crunching down the 18th where Murdoch & Nuske narrowly edged out Coleman & Suttor before the heavens open and Storm Terry category 5 rolled in reminding everybody that no one is more powerful than Uncle Terry on Tour. Match 4 look as if the BLUE DEVILS were in the box seat, resting on the 18th green. Then enter stage left, the SILVERBACKS rookie Cam “The Rook” Turnbull who drained a massive 30-foot putt to Halve the Match in the eye of Storm Terry.

For the first time in franchise history the SILVERBACKS found themselves at the turn with a lead 3.5 to 0.5 needing only x1 Singles win to clinch the cup for the first time ever! Match 5 was a ding-dong battle but eventually Coleman took the chocolates to beat out a gallant Nuske in the opening Match of the Day 3 Singles. Fans of the Governors Cup know it is a Tour known for big moments and once again it came off the clubface of “The Rook” Turnbull who was going head to head with arguably the greatest figure in the annuals of the Governors Cup, the War Horse “Clutch” Cranfield.

But on this day in August The Rook was too good clinching Match 6 on the Par 3 15th and with it the most desired Silverware in world sport - The Governors Cup. The remaining Matches simply becoming a formality. 

SILVERBACKS winning their first ever Governors Cup 4.5 to 3.5 and with-it Luke Nuske taking home the Hopetoun Medal.
 

2017 signalled the returned rematch on the Gold Coast with both squads remianing unchanged from 2016.
Suttor (FBD) vs. Tedesco (SS) for a third straight year meant the equation was a simple one, could Tedesco stem the bleeding or would Suttor be able to lead his Devils to x3 Wins in as many years.

The BLUE DEVILS title defence got off to a blinding start by winning both Day 1 Ambrose matches racing to 2.0-nil lead. Notably, The Instituted notching up their biggest win in their history by avenging the [ATR] defeat a year earlier by Fat Boy Slim.
2.0 Points up with six to play was always going to be an impossible task for the SILVERBACKS and by the end of Day 2, whilst the Backs had clawed back 1.0 the pairing of Suttor & Coleman (FBD) were too good for Murdoch & Hudson (SS) beating them down the 18th 2Up with a brilliant shot form the skipper JBS. 

At the turn the BLUE DEVILS were in the box seat to take their third title in row with the SILVERBACKS needing a Terry-Style-Miracle to salvage this one, especially considering their poor Day 3 Singles record in the years gone by. Coleman, Cranfield & Suttor clinched their Day 3 Singles matches which meant the Governors Cup was heading back to BLUE DEVILS Headquarters once again and thus making Captain Suttor; the Greatest Captain of All-Time (Providing he handed in his resignation – See 2018) 

Not only did the fearless BLUE DEVILS skipper win a third Cup but he romped home in the Hopetoun Medal MVP, 1-point shy (26) of a perfect 27 Votes.

2017 will be forever known as the year JBS did it all.

2016 and the Governors Cup returned to its spiritual home, the Goldie and in particular RIP (Royal Pines). Not since 2008 had a GC been hosted back on the Goldie so naturally Tourists were excited to be back.

Suttor (FBD) vs. Tedesco (SS) “The Rematch”

After last year’s Captaincy debacle known as McCourt-Gate (Non-golfer signing up for a golf tour?) Tedesco needed to strengthen his squad, and that he did, in what the worlds media describe as possibly his only moment of captaincy brilliance he signed Luke “the noose” Nuske. Bringing him back from the doldrums and out of retirement to join the Spalding SILVERBACKS. Rumours persist that the BLUE DEVILS also had a contract out on Nuske and yet he honoured his promise and signed with the BACKS. 

So, with red hot rosters Day 1 kicked off with a bang and old foes found themselves battling again FBS (SS) vs. The Institute (FBD) Murdoch firing on all cylinders and Moore & Coleman completely missing on the day saw FBS dominate clinching the Match 6&4 – The 3^rd best [ATR] for Highest Score in an Ambrose Match. Nuske’s return to Governors glory was not as spectacular as fans had hoped it would be with he and Hudson the more fancied Paring going down to the ever-reliable Cranfield & Suttor on the 18^th 2Up.

Day 2 and we are locked at 1.0/1.0 with the Cup in the balance and strangely Captain Tedesco left his Parings unchanged leaving many Governors Cup scholars scratching their heads and rightly so as Suttor’s DEVILS took control and subsequently clinched both matches 3&2 taking a strong overall lead of 3.0 to 1.0 at the turn.

Day 3 dawned and the SILVERBACKS had it all to do, but by no means were written off, looking at the strength of their “Singles” roster but they would need maximum Points from each Match. The Glades G.C was the scene and what we saw was more brilliance from Group 1 – Murdoch vs. Coleman & Cranfield vs. Nuske two intense matches climaxing on the 17^th with Coleman & Nuske clinching a Tie each… 4.0 to 2.0 all eyes and moved to the back group where the BLUE DEVILS merely needed 0.5 to win back to back Cups but Captain Suttor was well in control of his match all but ensuring more success for his BLUE DEVILS machine. Hudson & Moore shared a point by halving their match on the 18^th and with that the DEVILS were Champions again! 5.5 to 2.5

Wolf Colman (FBD) winning his record breaking 3^rd overall and back to back Hopetoun Medals. Love him or hate him his Hopetoun record is impressive… Wolf howls and non-consensual sex were herd throughout the night! 

After the divorce of 2012 and the subsequent TPL breakaway tour in ’13 and ’14 the fans the world over never thought this day would be; the 19^th of March 2015 marks the day the Governors Cup was born again.

Blue Devils vs. Silverbacks; mate against mate; Groper “Spirit” spilled all over the place… Magenta Shores was the chosen venue for this momentous occasion and it looked to be a golf course built for robust Tourists looking to make shots.

At the helm of the two new Governors Cup franchises were Suttor (FBD) and Tedesco (SS) life long Eels tragics and washed up Groper teammates with an appetite for losing.

It was rumoured the Blue Devils board offered Suttor the top job where he accepted, reneged, then accepted it again. Not the likely foundations of success, some wondered if he had the strategy required to be a strong leader in the Governors Cup format.

In the Black & Silver camp things were a little more tense for Tedesco as he rallied to build a squad with the required spirit and pride synonymous with winning a Governors Cup. Sir Terry Peterson later publicly stating he’s leadership in founding the Silverbacks would undoubtingly be his greatest ever Governors Cup moment.

2015’s first shot was struck by none other than T.C and while no one can remember the actual shot everyone can certainly remember the significance attached to it, he himself on his record-breaking twelfth Tour… Tour was back baby, both Day 1 matches headed down 18 and were eventually Halved however both teams had their chances to take an early lead but couldn’t capitalise – 1.0 Each

Day 2 saw the “Parings” shuffled and the Silverbacks sent a message by stacking one team with their best two; Murdoch & Hudson (SS) a move that severely backfired as Coleman & Suttor (FBD) destroyed them 7&6 an [ATR] for Highest Winning Margin in an Alternates Match. Cranfield & Moore (FBD) struggled to put away the “Paring that wouldn’t Win” going down 18 Dormie in a total shock but eventually closed out their Match 2Up.

After some wonderful Day 2 results for Blue Devils they found themselves at the turn with a very handy 3.5 to 0.5 lead need only the singular Singles match to taste the sweet nectar of Governors Cup glory, a teat that Suttor, Cranfield & Moore had not suckled since GCII in 2002 and Wolf Coleman had never experienced in 10 attempts.

The Devils simply destroyed the Silverbacks Day 3 winning 3 of 4 Singles Matches in convincing fashion. An underdone Cranfield (FBD) going down to Silverbacks Rookie, Chef Hudson (SS) preventing a Blue Devils Singles whitewash! With that, Tour was back baby and the 2015 Governors Cup Championship side for the first time were the Suttor lead Fourwood Blue Devils 6.0 to 2.0

The Governors Cup returned to the inaugural battle field of Reds vs. Gropers returning to the Sunshine Coast and in particular Noosa Springs GC not since 2004 had the Cup been contested here, it felt like a homecoming as the GC family welcomed back one of their favorite sons, Stafford Moore. The stage was set and there was an air of confidence in the Gropers camp as they had reappointed Tim Cranfield another of their favorite son’s to lead their assault.

The Reds however, who once again led by Ron Wilson were also confident, very confident given the results of 2011. In many ways it felt like the Governors Cup had returned to all its glory but in other ways it felt like it was the end. The greatest ever Ambrose player Clive “Wolf” Coleman reunited with his old playing partner ST Moore to clinch yet another victory 1Up on the last. The Gropers were once again back in the driving seat after Day 1 and the Reds would sense a Groper fight back and rearmed their guns, namely N. Barr and Willis who had outstanding GC campaigns once again making nearly impossible to answer, Who is the greatest of all-time?

Day 3 will be remember for two really gallant Singles with Tedesco accounting for D. Gamble and young Cranfield beating T. Barr although the hottest match of the day was Suttor vs. Wills which ended in a Halved result, which perhaps wasn’t a true representation of how it should have finished. Nonetheless this result wouldn’t have changed the overall result as the Reds were once again far too strong for the Fourwood Gropers clinching the cup for a record ninth consecutive time 9.5 to 6.5 and maybe the last ever time.

Fittingly the Hopetoun Medal was won by Reds captain Luke “Ronnie” Wilson

Saw the first staging of the GC (with the exception of the war year) south of the Tweed River and the 27th parallel. The NSW mid-north coast holiday haven of Port Stephens was selected as venue, with the demanding Pacific Dunes layout beckoning. Cooler weather and a wet track promise this GC to be very different to those of past years – including the infamous 2006 ‘Cyclone Terry’.

2011 can only be described as a blood bath and it was Groper blood split all over the place. The Highland Reds were completely dominate and totally relentless as the destroyed the Fourwood Gropers 12.0 to 4.0 which until this day remains the highest ever winning margin recorded by any team in the Governors Cup history.

Hopetoun honors were bestowed upon K.C Willis for the second time making him the second man to have won the medal on two separate occasions, arguably becoming the best to have ever toured.

Sixteen stout and handsome gents returned to Port Douglas in July of 2010, to once again see the Governor’s Cup evolve and grow in a new and exciting direction. The 9th Staging of GC bid farewell to a couple of much-loved and controversial characters including undefeated Reds Captain, Roger Gamble– and former Captain of the Fourwood Groupers, Clive Coleman. To that date, both contributed greatly to the GC both on and off the course. As one door closed however, another one opened, with the crew welcoming old friends and new alike. Absent since the last visit to Airlie Beach, inaugural Hopetoun Medalist (2001) John Bligh Suttor returned to the fold to bolster the formidable ranks of the Gropers. The Highland Reds welcomed both a new recruit and adding to a family tradition in bringing to the GC Sam Barr a man who proved a very striking proposition indeed. For the first time in many years, the GC crew stayed on course; a move which ensured the golfing side of events was of the highest quality. Day 1 saw the Reds and Gropers take equal honors in Ambrose, as well as a re-vamp of pairings across both teams. The tough Canadian foursomes round saw the Highland Reds edge the gropers slightly with the Towers/Tasman combination proving to be a very tough nut to crack, despite the committed challenge from Captain Chuck and TC, which included a very ambitious attempted save from the greenside water hazard on No. 9. With the scores sitting at 5.5 to 3.5 in the Highland Reds’ favor, the Fourwood Gropers faced the unusual task of coming from behind during the Singles matches. 2010 saw some especially interesting matchups, with the traditional captains pairings: Charles Downing & Luke “Ron” Wilson with their deputies TC & Towers renewing their old rivalries. In the final grouping, the honors were shared with Towers maintaining his unbeaten run in Governors Cup Singles play, and Chuck leading the Gropers from the front prevailing over Le Bouef. The Highland Reds prevailed once again on Day 3 however, with an inspiring 7 & 6 victory by none other than the Sand Barr turning out to be the best result ever recorded by a rookie in Governors Cup History. Nick ‘Towers’ Barr put in a near-perfect display of golf over the week and collected a tally of 26 Hopetoun Medal votes, making him the first ever GC tourist to win a second Hopetoun Medal, going with his 2006 gong, and rounding off what was to be a good year for the Reds.

The Cup was on the move again and this time to Port Douglas for the first time which brought the GC back to it’s’ roots both in terms of partying hard and as an event. With its’ far-northern tropical climes and strong backpacker traffic over the winter dry P-Diddy was a natural choice as venue for the men of the Governor’s Cup. The reigns of the Fourwood captaincy had been passed to Charlie Downing and once again, the Gropers had newfound vigor including one of their strongest recruits ever, Tim “Lopan” Stuckey. The Highland Reds had recruited very strongly themselves in 2009 with debutant Michael “Schillaci” Scammells, and thus setting the stage for yet another pulsating and captivating cup. Both new recruits proved to be crucial to the success of their teams in ‘09 with both Scammer and Lopan amongst the best in their teams both on and off the course and Scammer finishing runner up in Hopetoun Medal Voting. 2009 also saw an improvement in off-field form from with memorable efforts from the men as the Peterson voting was more hotly contested than it had been for many years – but certainly the most surprising and controversial was not Tasman’s clinching of the Hopetoun Medal and Chartreuse Jacket, but his loss of the dancing competition at the iron bar on the evening of Day 1. To all present, this was clearly the most obvious fix since Robbie Waterhouse took a can of ‘China Beige’ to the extremities of Fine Cotton. Once again, The Highland Reds prevailed over a valiant, noble and tenacious Fourwood Groper outfit for their sixth consecutive Cup since joining the competition in 2004.

The Governors Cup returned to its’ spiritual birthplace – The Gold Coast. All seemed well and in its’ place in 2008, the GC put on the usual: spectacular weather, stunning beaches, porn-star accommodation, beautiful surf, exciting theme parks, sun-kissed locals, white-shoe style, transient Bevan’s and hotted up rice-rockets the only thing that was missing was the man instrumental in the GC’s inception and that was none other than the great little man master, Stafford Moore, a sad day indeed but the show must go on. Terry once again assembled 16 handsome men in the crucible of competition, this time in the Coliseum of Australia’s ‘Sin City’ to once again vie for the title of Governor’s Cup Champion. The Highland Reds, with their quatrain of successive titles, once again boasted an unchanged line-up all three-peaters since 2006, and once again faced their fierce and determined rivals and man-loving brethren The Fourwood Gropers. Six of the 2007 Groper outfit returned in ’08, complimented by two strong new debutants in Tedesco & Mole. Looking to taste victory for the first time since 2002, the Gropers looked the goods early on in 2008, despite the strongest start by a Highland Reds team since 2004. Day 3 once again saw the Highland Reds prevail in the most convincing score line in GC history. Undoubtedly the highlight of the 2008 GC was the unexpected, scintillating form of the Hopetoun Medalist, and reds ‘anchor’, Nick Sharpe, who prevailed over ’06 Medalist Nick Barr after a nail-biting Hopetoun Medal count-back.

The Governors Cup was once again lured by the temperate locale, amazing golf course and weekly boatloads of backpacker fodder provided by Airlie Beach. Added to this bubbling, volatile and highly fertile crucible were the irresistible force of a sharply-honed and razor-sharp Fourwood Groper outfit, hell-bent on glory and the immovable object that was an unchanged, three-peating Highland Reds outfit, backing up from 2006. The results over the first two days of The Cup looked ominous, and reflected a strong, determined Groper outfit packed full of talent as the men in blue dominated the Ambrose and Canadian matches to take a commanding 5.5 to 2.5 lead on the evening of Day 2. Destiny seemed to smile upon the Groper, and none more than Chicka Downing, whose snap-hooked drive into the mudflats from the 14th Tee seemed to ricochet at the behest of none other than Sir Terry himself, who was sighted behind a mangrove. Blessed by Terry, or kissed on the dick by Tina? Day 3 dawned Red and as the shadows grew long on the fairways of Turtle Point, a tide of Highland Reds washed away the Groper lead. As with the years gone by, the result once again came down to the final pairing, and was closed out by the dynamic singles duo of Gamble & Barr, which redefined the terms “epic”, “nail biting” and “towering 5 iron”. Some have suggested that this was arguably the greatest Governors Cup ever held.

The Cup was recorded in the annals of history as arguably the greatest amateur golf tour ever held. In a master stroke of strategy and planning, the then confirmed location of Portsea, Victoria was overlooked for the more fancied (and temperate) venue of Airlie Beach, Whitsundays, Queensland. 2006 saw the first ever 8 vs. 8 MEGA tour, where Roger Gamble again lead his charges to a dramatic come-from-behind victory to clinch a hat-trick of Governors Cup titles. Given the venue’s location, popularity as an international holidaying location and expanded field, the number of highlights produced by the 2006 tour is almost too numerous to mention. For those who lived the 2006 Mega Tour, however, Cyclone Terry and Nick Barr’s ‘Sonar Putt’ to take the title for the Highland Reds were eclipsed only by debutant Luke Nuske’s Dive-Bombing of the Jelly Wrestling final to take out the Sir Peterson Award on only his second night on tour and confirm his status as understudy to the legendary Ryan Fitzpeterson.

Tim Cranfield and Roger Gamble returned to battle it out as Captains once more, the tour was once again held on the picturesque Sunshine Coast. History books were rewritten when the Highland Reds recorded the greatest winning margin by any team in the history of The Governors Cup, 7.0 to 5.0. A perfect 3 wins from 3 starts from debutant and Hopetoun Medalist; Kelvin Willis was a key contribution to the Reds overall victory.

The Governors Cup returned bigger and better than ever set on the majestic Sunshine Coast, with the newly formed Highland Reds opening their Governors Cup campaign with a 6.5 to 5.5 victory over the rebranded Fourwood Gropers. Timothy Cranfield captained the Fourwood Gropers for the first time, while Roger Gamble was victorious on his debut as captain of the Highland Reds. Anthony Watson registered a maximum count (27) ‘Hopetoun Medal’ votes, a feat that at the time seemed unlikely to be replicated ever in our lifetime.

Saw the introduction of an expanded tour of 6 vs. 6 and was once again staged at the Royal Pines Golf Resort (RIP) from July 25-27th 2002.

Stafford Moore was again at the helm when Fourwood VI defeated Adam Perkins’ In The Drink (ITD), 6.5 to 5.5

In 2001, the concept was finally brought to a reality. At the behest of Peterson and as a memorial to his late dear friend on the anniversary of Hopetoun’s first Governor-Generalship - the first ever Governors Cup was held on Australia’s Gold Coast. And the rest, they say, is history.

The first of the Governors Cup was played at Royal Pines Golf Resort (RIP). The Fourwood IV team captained by Stafford Moore defeated the In The Drink (ITD) side of Matthew Brownie, after the first play-off hole as scores were locked 4-4. The inaugural year will forever be remembered for Timmy Cranfield’s sensational 5 wood that carried the remainder of the water onto the green, inevitably securing the title for Fourwood.