Lance Whitnall, Bret Thornton and Cameron Cloke joined forces with Carlton Director Stephen Moulton and former director George Varlamos representing the Carlton Football Club in a golf challenge against the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) at the Sandhurst Club at Skye recently. Giving the Carlton team of 16 true credibility was the inclusion of the designer of the course, a long time Carlton supporter and VIP Member, not to mention former Golf Champion, Peter Thomson.

The Carlton team was up against 16 Senior Japanese businessmen including the President of Toyota and NEC in hot and windy conditions in Melbourne’s south-east at the Sandhurst Club, the home of PGA of Australia.

The Carlton v Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry Golf Challenge was the initiative of Andrew Thomson from Minter Ellison who attended university in Japan and is a former Federal Minister of Sport. While the outcome was disappointing with the Blues going down 14-2, the new Carlton Captain gained some important bragging rights when he handed in his card scoring 40 to beat the great Peter Thomson. The Carlton change rooms are already sick of hearing how Lance beat Peter Thomson on the golf course!

While the conditions were tough it was a most enjoyable day and after the loss the Carlton team has issued the challenge to their Japanese opponents for a rematch in 2008 to ensure this is an annual event.