Golf roundup

Te Rata Ritchie won the Terry Rutene Memorial 4x9-hole matchplay trophy at Waikohu.

Waikohu

Te Rata Ritchie is the latest name to be added to one of Waikohu’s most prestigious trophies — The Terry “Dunga” Rutene Memorial Cup.

Ritchie beat Terry Reeves in the final of the Rutene cup 4x9-hole Easter matchplay tournament that honours one of the club’s finest players.

Larry Green beat top qualifier Percy Milner in the Rutene cup flight final, Cheryl Te Rito defeated Ella Wynyard in the plate final and Audrey Tamanui-Nunn beat Tama Brown in the plate flght.

SUNDAY/SATURDAY — Terry Rutene Memorial Cup 4x9-hole matchplay tournament, top qualifier: Percy Milner 32

Rutene Cup: T Ritchie def T Reeves.

Flight: L Green def P Milner.

Plate final: C Te Rito def E Wynyard.

Plate flight: A Tamanui-Nunn def T Brown.

9 -hole stableford: S Ritchie 21, D Russell 17.

Sunday stableford: K Tamanui 34, T Ruru 33.

Non-golfers’ competition: I Fox.

COMING UP: SUNDAY, free day.

Patutahi

George Brown may have qualified in the bottom half of the field for the men’s shootout final on Saturday but he could be the one to watch.

Brown has been in solid form over the past couple of weeks, suggesting he is peaking at the right time for the 19-man net elimination final teeing off at 8.30am on Saturday.

On Sunday he won the senior men’s net with 68 — he won the previous Sunday with 66 — and followed that up with third in the Easter Monday net.

Mike de Luze goes in as the No.1 qualifier with a total net score of 263 on countback from Pat Molloy.

Simon Pittar nabbed the 19th and last spot on 274. His junior men’s stableford-winning 41 points on Monday were perhaps a dark horse warning.

The women’s shootout final is also on Saturday.

Other competition winners over the Easter weekend were Adam Brodie (net 66), Abbie Davis (net 72), Rios Moleta (38 points) and Denise Johnston (37pts).

MONDAY — Voucher stableford, senior men: R Moleta 38, H Brown 36, G Brown 36.

Junior men: S Pittar 41, C Kirkpatrick 39, C Brown 38.

Women: D Johnston 37, S Robertson 31.

SUNDAY — Stableford, senior men: G Brown 68, B McKenzie 68, J Neilson 70, R Mottart 71.

Junior men: A Brodie 66, C Brown 68, M King 68, K Harrison-Allen 69.

Women: A Davis 72.

Eagle: G Brown.

FRIDAY — Meat pack 9-hole stableford, senior division: B McKenzie 20, J Blair 19, P Hakiwai 19, J Phillips 18, P Molloy 18.

Junior division: T Grimson 21, A Davis 20, G Maude 18, C Brown 17, P Briant 17.

SUNDAY ( March 24) — Men’s stableford: G Brown 66, C Brown 68, J Blair 68, C Kaa 69, B Titejen 69.

Women’s stableford: S Robertson 68.

Twos: R Hindmarsh, J Brown, S Robertson.

FRIDAY (March 22) — Meat pack 9-hole stableford, senior division: T Brodie 20, J Blair 20, T Sharp 19, B McKenzie 19.

Junior division: S Helm  26, S Mohlmann 23, B Tietjen 21, C Harris 20, C Kaa 20, P Jex-Blake 20, D Quinn 20.

Poverty Bay

He is remembered by many for his “Texas wedge” prowess.

But on Sunday, April 14, an annual tournament will pay tribute to the late Tom Shaw’s contribution to Poverty Bay Golf club — particularly his vital role in the formation and running of the Awapuni Shootout.

Now known as the Tom Shaw Memorial Awapuni Shootout, the 27-hole pairs competition features three lots of nine holes — best-ball, Canadian foursomes and ambrose.

It used to be a 54-hole event played over a weekend. That was reduced to 27 on one day and the format is an enjoyable one for male and female members alike.

Those who play in it might want to consider a special tribute to Tom somewhere over the day by putting from off the green from a lengthy distance.

Tom, who wasn’t the greatest pitcher or chipper, used to pull out the putter from a gobsmacking distance off the green. And he was pretty darn good at it.

Entries are being taken for the 2024 edition which is open to golfers from all clubs and features men’s, women’s and mixed sections.

Lunch will be provided. Enter at the pro shop.

The Poverty Bay women’s team for the Tairāwhiti district event of the National Teams’ net competition to be held at Electrinet Park on May 18 are Pauline Zame, Vonnie Fletcher, Viv Bell and Anne Gemmell.

WEDNESDAY — Women’s 18-hole stableford: D Kirkpatrick 36, S Spence 35.

9-holers’ stableford: J Tietjen 21, B Dickson 20, W Linton 20.

Sunday — Men’s stableford, Division 1: B Morgan 37, C Simpson 36, M Jefferson 35.

Division 2: C Hensley 36, A Putnam 34, G Marchbank 33.

Twos: A Hayward, P Higgins.

Approach: A Putnam.

SATURDAY — Men’s stableford: A Hayward 33.

Twos: A Hayward.

Approach: D Patumaka.

THURSDAY (March 28) — Men’s stableford, Division 1: P Butler 37, M Higham 37, J Van Helden 35, G Udall 35, A Abrahams 35.

Division 2: H Johanson 38, B Allen 35, P Graham 35, K Goldsmith 34.

Twos: G Morley.

Approach: I Murphy.

Electrinet Park

Autumn is the season but Spring was in the air in the final of the Gordon’s Pharmacy Thursday 9-hole twilight series shootout last week.

Kelly Spring was the last golfer standing in the 10-person elimination shootout and fattened his wallet to the tune of 1000 big ones.

“He ran hot the whole nine,” organiser Mike Christophers said.

“All eyes were on him while the rest of them were riding their luck.”

The only woman in the field, Kino White, was the first to go. She was followed by James Witika (No.2), Josh Adams (No.3), Beau Toa (No.4), Anthony Pahina (No.5), Shaun Pahina (No.6), Craig Christophers (No.7) and Shannon Toa (No.8).

That left Spring and Chris Fox to fight it out for the grand prize. Spring made par with a stroke for a net birdie; Fox a bogey 6 for net 6.

Christophers provided the most spectacular exit — going out of bounds twice off the par-3 seventh tee with carbon copy swings.

Adams made up for his early departure by winning the Roadnoise-sponsored Simulator Challenge approach final in the Park clubhouse.

Each of the winners of the challenge over the twilight summer series qualified for the final. Some players won it more than once, meaning they got extra attempts to get their simulator shot closest to the pin.

Adams, who got four chances, won the $500 with a shot that ended 8.6 metres from the pin.

The semifinals of the men’s handicap cup matchplay competition are on Sunday.  The semifinalists are —

Senior division: Zane Boyle v Ian Loffler, Matt Henwood v Bailey Matoe.

Intermediate: John Collier Jr v Phil Nepia, Chris Fox v Glen McKinnon.

Junior: Damian Pilitati v Mat Downie, Junior Akurangi v Steve Rolls.

Endeavour: Warrem Muir v Stephen Johnson, Lindsay Hunt v Jackson Donovan-Monteith.

The memory and contribution of long-time Gisborne Park member and career firefighter Jack Lovelock will be celebrated at a tournament in his honour on Saturday.

The inaugural Jack Glassford Memorial Golf Tournament will be highlighted by the presentation of a shared taonga for the overall best men’s and women’s nets.

The taonga — donated by Jack’s wife —is a fire service long- service trophy presented to Jack.

Members of Jack’s whānau will be playing in the tournament.

The timing of the tournament is also special. Jack passed away on April 5, 2023.

Spaces are still available in the field. See the Coming Up section.

COMING UP: SATURDAY, April 6, Jack Glassford Memorial Golf Tournament, shotgun start from 8.30am, men’s and women’s divisions (maximum handicap of 24 for men; 36 for women), non-golfers’ division, gross, net (for the Jack Glassford Memorial Golf Trophy) and stableford, long drive and approaches, start sheet at clubhouse or contact club at (06) 867-9849, inquiries to John White 027-613-5070 or Tina Karaitiana 027-2424-222; WEDNESDAY, April 24, Electrinet Park women’s open foursomes, 18-hole (report 9am for 9.30am start) and 9-hole (report at 11am) sections, gross and net, entries close Monday, April 22, contact Kino White 022-495-6677 or Jean Foot 868-7744, maximum handicap of 40 for 18-hole players.

Tolaga Bay

Mark Watts won the stableford on Easter Sunday with 80-10-70, for 35 points.

SUNDAY — Stableford: M Watts 35, T Higgs 32, P Dickens 31.

Approach: P Blackman.