Nathan Schneider (3/2) and Tim Purtill (4/2) got their team off to a great start with comfortable victories, but it wasn’t until Jarryd Pritchard made a once in a lifetime up and down from the scrub for par on the 19th hole that the win was secured.

Wodonga had winners in Casey Gamble (5/4) and Justin Gamble (19th).

Beechworth’s stand-in captain Vaughan Saunders was pleased with the result.

“Going into the first round no one really knows who is going to be playing for the opposition let alone what order they will have,” Saunders said.

“We know the Wodonga boys pretty well and enjoy a healthy rivalry with them.

“We knew they would be hungry to beat us so to come away with a win very satisfying.”

Wodonga captain Josh Hayes echoed those sentiments.

“Unfortunately that’s not the start we were looking for but we just weren’t good enough on the day,” he said.

“Credit to them, they fought hard and deserved the win.

“We’ll just have to make sure we have a win in the next round at home to get our season back on track.”

Myrtleford caused the upset of the round, disposing of Mansfield 3-2.

With the scores locked at two wins each, Craig Piazza (Myrtleford) and Dean Grining (Mansfield) took until the fourth extra hole to decide their match and the overall contest, with Piazza prevailing by making a regulation par.

Myrtleford had other winners in Lochie Stewart and Sam Morrell, while Tom McLean and Mark Bettany had comfortable wins for Mansfield.

Perennial powerhouse Yarrawonga-Mulwala had a brilliant start to the season with a 5-0 thrashing of Jubilee.