FIVE Bendigo district golfers are celebrating a fairytale win in the metropolitan pennant series - after they almost missed the final cut.
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Heathcote sisters Stephanie and Chelsea Wearne and Neangar Park pair Tahlia Holmberg and Jenna Harding were members of the Sunshine team that took out Golf Victoria's division three pennant last Sunday.
Carmel Bourne, from Bendigo Golf Club, played for the squad throughout the seven-round season so she also received a winner's badge.
Sunshine knocked off the previously undefeated Medway to claim the title, but only just scraped into the final play-off.
They were third on the ladder going into the last round of regular play and, with only first and second qualifying, had to win then wait to see if other results fell their way.
"It came down to a situation with us, Keysborough and Rosanna all vying for that second spot," Stephanie Wearne said.
"We won and ended up tied with Rosanna, but we got through to the final (on a countback).
"It was a bit stressful - we were all driving home from Melbourne that day in different cars, texting each other to see if we'd made it.
"Then we had a nervous two-week wait, with Mother's Day in the middle, before the final."
Playing against Medway for the title, Chelsea Wearne won her battle 5 and 4, while Harding was victorious 5 and 3 in her matchplay. Steph Wearne and Holmberg both went down to their opponents 6 and 5, but were well backed up by their team-mates as Sunshine finished ahead 4-3.
Wearne, 22, said it was an amazing achievement.
"It is something not many people get to experience in their golfing career, so to do it pretty early on for me was awesome," she said.
"Pennant is the pinnacle of women's amateur golf so it was great to be a part of.
"We came together as a really good team and I can't wait for next year."
Bourne has long been travelling to Sunshine to play pennant golf and Stephanie Wearne joined her several years ago as she attends uni nearby. Wearne later recruited Harding to boost numbers and her sister came on board last year, while this was Holmberg's first season at the club.
Sunshine had been relegated to division three this year, but will now be promoted back up to division two.