Golf: Team ready to shoot for supremacy

Hayden Beard will captain Bay of Plenty at this week's Toro NZ Men's Interprovincial.

Bayof Plenty men's golf team are in a confident mood ahead of the prestigious Toro NZ Men's Interprovincial that tees off at the Hamilton Golf Club (St Andrews) tomorrow and culminates on Saturday.

Bay of Plenty have won seven of the last 12 tournaments featuring the best amateurs in New Zealand and are in top form after an impressive win at the SBS Invitational in Invercargill early this month.

That followed the comprehensive mauling of the top North Island teams in winning their eighth consecutive Garrard Shield in October.

Mount Maunganui's Hayden Beard, fresh from winning last weekend's Omanu Classic after an epic battle with Bay teammate Bailey Smith, said their win in Invercargill was a good bonding experience for the team.

"The boys played really well down there and a couple of them really stepped up ... it has given us some good momentum for the event."

Beard says the reason for Bay of Plenty's success at this level is down to a lot of participation in golf and a great all-year-round climate for golf.

"This allows more competitive tournaments for players at a developing level giving the area significant depth of good players. Not to mention good development programs created by BOP Golf and associated clubs."

All the Bay of Plenty players are familiar with the demanding nature of St Andrews.

It will demand a lot and will reward good shots," Beard said. "The greens are always pure so the boys are expecting a lot of putts to be holed over the course of the week."

But there are plenty of threats to the Bay team.

Manawatu-Wanganui ended a 49-year drought when they won the event last year, while Auckland, the second most successful side in the Toro history behind Bay of Plenty, have not won the title since 1995.

Hosts Waikato are brimming with confidence as they look to win the title for the first time since 2006 while Tasman boast New Zealand reps Ryan Chisnall and Blair Riordan.