Three Macarthur workmates have turned last year’s heartbreak into victory, leading New South Wales to the title of Australia and New Zealand’s best indoor golf team.
Shane Zielonka, Andrew Robinson and Scott Green claimed the 14th annual X-League Championship in Brisbane, going one better after finishing runners-up in 2025.
“We came so close last year and that stayed with us, so to come back and actually finish the job is something we’re incredibly proud of,” Shane said.
The trio, who have worked together at a Macarthur logistics company for the past decade, faced Far North Queensland’s ‘Smoke Hazards’ in a gripping final.
With the match forced into a playoff after Shane’s dramatic lip-out on the 18th, Queensland found the water before Shane calmly sank the winning putt to seal the championship for NSW.
“We knew exactly how much it hurt to lose at the end,” Andrew said.
“We talked about it throughout the season, but once we got back it was about putting that behind us and playing our own game. To walk away as champions is a pretty special feeling!”
The August 8 championship at X-Golf South Bank brought together 27 finalists from nine teams across Australia and New Zealand, competing for the title and $20,000 in prizes.
X-League, the largest indoor golf league in the Southern Hemisphere, features three-player teams competing in nine-hole matches on virtual versions of world-famous courses.
X-Golf Group X-League Coordinator Nick Treble said the growing competition was giving everyday golfers a genuine national stage.
“This year has been our largest X-League yet and it really demonstrates how far the competition has come, but also how golf is evolving overall,” he said.
For the Macarthur trio, however, the sweetest prize was redemption — returning to the championship stage, holding their nerve and finally finishing the job.
