The Macarthur team in the 2025 Australasian tech-powered golf championship, three local mates, fell just short of lifting the trophy in Melbourne.
The Macarthur trio, Scott Green, Shane Zielonka and Andrew Robinson, had to be content with second place after losing in the grand final.
They stormed through the pool stage of the X-League National Championship, with dominant wins over teams from Far North Queensland and the Northern Territory, securing the top seed heading into finals.
The trio held their nerve in the semi-final, making the key plays when it mattered most to advance to the grand final.
Facing off against the ultimate winners from Western Australia in the decider, the boys from Macarthur fought hard in front of a split crowd, with Shane levelling the contest in his singles match.
Despite their determination, the favourites from Macarthur found another gear to close out the win, leaving them with a hard-fought and well-deserved runner-up finish on the national stage.
Colleagues for the last decade, 44-year-old Shane said they were never going to shy away from a challenge with lots of experience in teamwork on their side.
“We got here with a shared passion for golf and a bit of friendly rivalry, so we’re pumped to have taken home second place,” Shane said.
The friends joined eight other teams from as far as Christchurch, Darwin and Cairns to compete in the annual X-League Championships.
Up for grabs was $20,000 worth of prizes, including a golf trip to Barnbougle Dunes.
Now in its 14th consecutive year, X-League has grown into the Southern Hemisphere’s largest technology-driven golf league, combining the realism of simulator golf with the energy of team sport and Esports.
More than 1,000 players participate across three 10-week seasons each year, with only the very best qualifying for the national finals.
With participation in golf continuing to grow nationally, X-League is set to expand its reach again in 2026, bringing more players into the fold and more communities onto the leaderboard.
To learn more about the 2026 X-League season, visit https://www.xgolf.com.au/x-league/ for details.