DAVE Burns said winning wasn’t the main aim for him at this week’s City of Orange Veteran’s Classic but he’s glad he did.

This is the fourth year the Queenslander has come to Orange for the annual event and this year he walked away with the most prestigious men’s trophy.

Burns took out the 54-hole open scratch title with his 228 total.

The five-marker had rounds of 73 at Duntryleague on Monday, 80 at Ex-Services on Tuesday and 75 at Wentworth on Thursday.

“I played well at Duntry to have three over and I did all right at Wentworth with a double (bogey),” Burns said. “I haemorrhaged at Ex-Services.”

The Calliope club member said he had been working on his swing for the last eight months and it had paid off.

The 64-year-old plays six times a week and said he can’t get enough time on the golf course.

“I love it,” he smiled. “Even if I couldn’t play I’d still hit practise balls. I’m addicted.”

Burns often follows the veterans circuit but has a special trip planned in April.

“I’m going to Papua New Guinea next month for golf,” he said. “I used to play football (rugby league) there in the 60s and 70s. I actually represented New Guinea in 1971 and we toured NSW.

“I have friends there and my son goes each year to play in the Papua New Guinea Open, so I go with him.”

Burns finished three shots ahead of Broken Hill’s Ian Fillery who carded rounds of 79, 74 and 78 for 231.

Kogarah’s George Barnes took out the 54-hole open handicap title with his 203 net.

The scratch winners in each grade for 54 holes were Phil Jeffrey (A grade), Bruce Tapp (B grade) and John Shay (C grade).

Duntryleague’s Val Pollack won the women’s 54-hole open stableford title with 118 points.

She edged out Bellingen’s Sue Wilson-Brown who had 117 points over the three days.

The week-long event wrapped up yesterday with a four ball best ball medley stableford at Wentworth and Duntryleague.