COREY Lamb reckons he has finally got the measure on his uncle and multiple Branxton club champion Mark Hale.
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But the 18-year-old NSW representative is experienced enough not to let family bragging rights distract from his mission of winning a consecutive WE Alexander Open at Waratah this weekend.
Lamb enters the 36-hole vardon event in strong form after firing a four-under 66 to win the Branxton Open by six strokes from playing partner Hale and Steve Piggott.
Lamb and Hale will team up again alongside Bryce Picken and Nathan Lambert in one of the feature groups at Waratah.
"I think I have pretty much got him covered now," Lamb said. "After the weekend, he would have admit to that. I played really solid and holed a few good putts.
"We are really close. He has helped me with my game a lot over the years and is still a very good player. He drives the ball really good and chips and putts really good."
Lamb is expecting a little bit of banter but "no more than usual" from his uncle.
"I have learned over the past few years to concentrate on my own game and not be distracted by what other players are doing," he said.
Last year, Lamb carded rounds of 71,67 to win by three shots from Dave Alexander.
"Waratah is is a great track," Lamb said. "You just have to keep it straight and you can score well."
The first round of the WE Alexander will double as an 18 hole play-off between Hamish Ellison and Justin Ely for the Waratah club championship. The pair finished tied at 216 after 54 holes. They were to contest the play-off last Saturday but it was postponed due to the east coast low which dumped 200 mm of rain on the course.
"The greenkeeping staff thought we would need preferred lies through to the greens," Waratah general manager Jonathan Towns said. "Justin also had a few issues around availability so it was postponed to this weekend."
Towns said the course had recovered from the deluge and will be in mint condition.
"The course is looking really good," he said. "Unfortunately Hunter Water allowed a contractor to bring a tractor in to do some work on the side of the sixth hole with a 35 tonne excavator. It has spoiled the presentation of our pathways and the edge of the fairway but otherwise the the course is in great shape."
Former club champion Ken Hughes will be teeing up in the WE Alexander on Saturday, 56 years after he won the second of back-to-back titles.
Hughes, who turns 76 in October and plays off a handicap of 12, is the oldest former winner in the field. He was 21 when he won in 1965.
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