ELECTRINET PARK
If Steve Phillips and James Witika win the 2023 Te Kanawa Cup men’s pairs title, one match will forever stick in the memory . . . the first.
The 16 combos to battle out Round 1 of the Park’s most sought-after men’s title — bar club championships — have been confirmed.
Among them are Phillips and Witika , who were one of 14 pairs who had to get through a “play-in” round to stay alive.
Phillips, however, had to take on Peter Koorey and Wynne Brown by himself as Witika had the pleasure of heading to Auckland to watch the Warriors smoke the Dolphins in an NRL match.
Phillips also needed to produce his best round in two years.
He looked well on track to have achieved that at 2-up with two holes to play only for Koorey and Brown to win the last two and send it to extra holes.
Worse still for Phillips was he had to give both a shot on the par-5 first hole.
No need to worry. Phillips’ par was good enough to see him across the line and book a first-round duel with No.2 seeds Ben Holt and Mike Christophers — one of the top nine qualifiers who advanced straight to the first round .
Top seeds are Darrel Gregory and Tom Reynolds, who posted a best-ball stableford total of 44 points over the month players had to qualify.
Their round 1 opponents are Dave Harrison and Glen McKinnon.
Once again, each pair has a team name. This year they range from Hackers (Mike Bond and Heath Tupara) — who would claim the name refers to their golfing skills rather than hockey careers — to Ram Rayd (Ray Walford and Dave Rameka) to Feral Crescent Boys (Anthony Pahina and son Shaun).
Carolyn Carpendale and Tai Aramakutu braved yesterday’s rough weather to play the final of the women’s handicap matchplay.
In fact, they were the only two players on the Park course.
Carpendale prevailed 4 and 3 .
Semifinals were played last week — Aramakutu beating Jaye McCafferty 5 and 4, Carpendale eliminating Penny Shaw 2 and 1.
SUNDAY — Men’s stableford: C Christophers 38, D Craven 37.
Twos: C Christophers, C Fox, D Craven.
SATURDAY — Men’s stableford: D Craven 39, S Peneha 70, C Fox 70.
Twos: A Pahina.
WEDNESDAY (May 31) — Women’s net-minus-stableford: K Hay 74-34-40.
Twos: J Foot.
John Penny Cup women’s handicap matchplay semifinals: T Aramakutu def J McCafferty 5 and 4; C Carpendale def P Shaw 2 and 1.
TUESDAY (May 30 ) — Veterans’ stableford: C Carpendale 35, E Parkin 34 , P Nepia 34.
Twos: E Morley.
The draw for Round 1 of the Te Kanawa Cup men’s pairs is — Darrel Gregory/Tom Reynolds v Dave Harrison/Glen McKinnon; Mike Bond/Heath Tupara v Chris Fox/Matt Downie; Sel Peneha/Quentin Peneha v Sefo Fonoti/Mason Emery; Jason Devery/Bailey Matoe v Derek Craven/Josh Taylor; Ben Holt/Mike Christophers v Steve Phillips/James Witika; Craig Christophers/Josh Adams v Ian Loffler/Steve Webb; Zach Rolls/Steve Rolls v Dave Rameka/Ray Walford; Silas Brown/Te Ariki Pomana v Anthony Pahina/Shaun Pahina.
Matches must be played on or before Sunday, June 18. Losers go into the Fletcher Cup.
The draw for the quarterfinals of the Turanganui Cup men’s pairs is — Peter Koorey/Wynne Brown v Charlie Uili/Alex Nanai; Paul Wellard/Phil Nepia v Dave Te Maro/Jason Lloyd; Danny Boyle/Zane Boyle v John Collier Sr/Duane Mauheni.
Matches must be played on or before Sunday, June 25.
POVERTY BAY
Two new names will be engraved on the Kahlenberg Cup after Marg Lane and Lynne Holmberg overcame the elements and the defending champions in the women’s pairs matchplay final yesterday.
Lane and Holmberg beat 2022 champions Di Sherratt and Rosie Spence 3 and 1 in the final.
It was the first Kahlenberg crown for both — Lane having finished runner-up last year with Jan Utting; Holmberg winning the plate alongside Odette Thompson.
“It was real rubbish,” Holmberg said of yesterday’s weather but with a sunny disposition given the outcome.
Holmberg, off 16, was giving the shots. Lane was on 30, Sherratt 35 and Spence 27.
The pairs were locked all-square after nine holes but Holmberg and Lane got to 2-up on the back nine and held on to be dormie-2 before sealing victory.
The Kahlenberg Plate silverware ended in a deadlock. Anne Gemmell and Mary Allan and Marg Colebourne and Debbie Kirkpatrick decided to call it quits on the 20th and share the title.
It was “five hours of misery,” Colebourne joked in reference to the conditions.
The Juliet Rickard 9-holers matchplay final also went ahead. Sandy Armstrong defeated Noreen Johnson 1-up.
Special mention was made of the referees — Duncan Bush for the Kahlenberg Cup final; Sally Spence for the Juliet Rickard final.
Anthony Battistella talks up his pizza-making skills but it was a slice — well, fade to be more accurate — of a different kind that shone last Thursday.
Battistella won the division 1 men’s stableford with the round of the week — 74-7-67, for 41 points, including a two on the sixth hole.
Other men’s competition winners over the week on a course that continues to be challenging were Warwick Thompson (37pts); Rob Wilkin (38); Colin Simpson (38); Shaun Boyd (36); and Bruce Talbot (38).
Carl Carmody produced possibly the nine holes of the week in his round on Sunday. He had seven three-pointers on his homeward nine holes (the front nine) for 23 points — but only good enough for second behind Talbot.
The man with the “Goldie” touch leads the Sean Shivnan Pharmacy men’s shootout qualification.
Tene Goldsmith tops the board on 205 (72, 65, 68) for his best three net scores (one off the blue tees, two off the whites).
He is one stroke ahead of Battistella (69, 67, 70) and men’s club captain Andy Hayward (67, 69, 70), with Pat Butler (69, 67, 72) and Simon “Passport” Jeune on 208 (71, 68, 69).
Sunday — Men’s stableford, division 1: B Talbot 38, C Carmody 38, D Gray 34, B Anderson 34.
Division 2: S Boyd 36, M Karalus 34, M Van Der Velde 33.
Twos: C Taewa, A Putnam.
Approach: D Gray.
Saturday — Men’s stableford, division 1: C Simpson 38, B Talbot 34, D Jenkins 33.
Division 2: R Wilkin 38, K Goldsmith 36, M Stewart 36, E Wilson 35.
Twos: D Jenkins, M Stewart, C Poole.
Approach: C Poole.
Thursday ( June 1) — Men’s stableford, division 1: A Battistella 41, P Graham 36, S Andreassen 34.
Division 2: W Thompson 37, M Gemmell 35, C Christie 34.
Twos: A Battistella.
Approach: J Pittar.
COMING UP: Gisborne Motors Barns-Graham Cup men’s pairs, qualifying round Saturday, June 17, followed by matchplay June 24 (Round 1), July 1 (Round 2), July 8 (Round 3), July 15 (semifinals), July 16 (finals), enter at pro shop.
WAIKOHU
The Turanga Health Waikohu Men’s Open is on Saturday, June 17.
Turanga Health will be doing heart checks at the club from 9.30am to 10.45am, followed by tee-off at 11am.
Queries to Tama Brown, 027-449-3473.
MAHIA
Dave Waihaki and Viv Kyle topped the field in the HB Kingi 54-hole tournament held over King’s Birthday Weekend.
Waihaki was outstanding, posting two +6 rounds in the par format on his way to winning the overall men’s title on +12.
He won the 18-hole men’s division on Saturday and Monday, while Grant Hornblow’s +2 was the best Sunday score.
Kyle won the overall women’s title on +1.
SATURDAY/SUNDAY/MONDAY — HB Kingi tournament, three par rounds — Saturday winners: D Waihaki +6 (men), T Smith -1 (women).
Sunday winners: G Hornblow +2 (men), V Kyle sq (women).
Monday winners: D Waihaki +6 (men), V Kyle +1 (women).
Overall winners: D Waihaki +12 (men), V Kyle +1 (women).
THURSDAY (June 1) — Women’s Iseki stableford, round 3: P Denigan 31, L Steel 29, V Kyle 29, E Westwood 28.
COMING UP: SATURDAY, July 23, Mahia Ladies Golf tournament, 18-hole foursomes, grab a friend, 9,30am cuppa followed by 10.30am tee-off, lots of prizes and novelty prizes to be won, dress up in anything bold or bright, inquiries to Renee 027-371-8682 or Maraea 027-229-2342.
