{"id":60981,"date":"2014-03-20T21:30:35","date_gmt":"2014-03-20T11:30:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=60981"},"modified":"2020-09-02T18:29:46","modified_gmt":"2020-09-02T08:29:46","slug":"golfers-pay-tribute-to-marley","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2014\/03\/20\/golfers-pay-tribute-to-marley\/","title":{"rendered":"Golfers Pay Tribute To Marley"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Marley Conlon's memory will live on in the Marley Conlon Reconciliation Shield (Photo: MBDA)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

March 20, 2014<\/strong><\/p>\n

About 60 indigenous and non-indigenous golfers competed for the inaugural Marley Conlon Reconciliation Shield today at Murgon as a warm-up for this weekend’s Queensland Indigenous Golf Championships.<\/p>\n

Marley was a young indigenous man who was a keen member of the Murgon Golf Club.<\/p>\n

He died at age 24 on February 8. During his short life he inspired Murgon residents with his determination to enjoy life despite a disability. His funeral attracted a huge crowd of mourners from both the indigenous and non-indigenous communities.<\/p>\n

His father Max told 4UM today his son was someone who “brought people together”.<\/p>\n

The idea for the shield in Marley’s honour was put forward by Murgon Golf Club president Clowry Kennell.<\/p>\n

Players competed over 18 holes in a four ball best ball stableford.<\/p>\n

“I was really surprised to see the amount of people, both indigenous and non-indigenous, who turned up to play,” Clowry told 4UM.<\/p>\n

“I expected a field of about 20 but at the moment we’ve got maybe 60 sitting on the books ready to play.”<\/p>\n

He said the golfers had mainly come from the Murgon, Wondai and Nanango clubs.<\/p>\n

“It’s all about two cultures coming together for a common cause and what better cause than to play for the Marley Conlon Reconciliation Shield?” he said.<\/p>\n

The Queensland Indigenous Golf Championship will tee off at 7:00am tomorrow with 70 indigenous golfers coming from all over Queensland … from the Gold Coast to Townsville and west to Cunnamulla.<\/p>\n

There will also be 14 non-registered golfers competing.<\/p>\n

Clowry said he hoped the competition would keep on growing, as the course could host up to 120 players.<\/p>\n

Footnote:<\/strong> Clowry was elected president of the Murgon Golf Club in January this year and is the first indigenous president of the club.<\/p>\n

“I may be the first indigenous president, but first and foremost I am just a golf player like everybody else … a passionate golfer that just happens to be a blackfella,” he told 4UM.<\/p>\n