Collier’s round featured birdies on the first, fourth, sixth, eighth and 14th (a two) holes and nines of 3-under 33, 3-over 39.
His previous best official 18-hole score was 80.
He was only one shot off the low round of the day – Dan Collier’s one-under 71 which featured five birdies including the 11th, 12th and 13th holes.
The Morley Trophy for best player affiliated or connected with Thistle went to Travis White, who carded 89-22-67, for 41 points − his homeward nine including six pars, a triple bogey and a quadruple bogey.
Jo Kerr’s 85 won the women’s gross and Jaye McCafferty’s 101-32-69, for 40 points, was the top women’s Stableford.
Other rounds of note included Brad Morgan’s 76-9-67, for 41.
Contender for the shot of the day was Carl Carmody’s 3-wood third on the par-5 ninth hole – his ball rolling on to the green, hitting the hand of a player in the group in front as he reached into the hole to remove his ball, and ending up a birdie tap-in away.
Coming up: Sunday, January 26, She Loves Golf twilight finale, 9-hole competition, register at 12 noon for tee-off from 12.45pm, open to golfers and non-golfers, Stableford and net sections, approaches, long drives and spot prizes. For more information or to book a spot, text your name to Holly Miller at 0210545534.
Poverty Bay
Waka Donnelly has one hand on the Summer Cup silverware, but there are a few players wielding crowbars in an attempt to pry it off this weekend.
Round four of the five-round series was played last weekend and, with series leader Donnelly competing in a tournament at Redwood Park in Auckland, it gave his nearest challengers a chance to make inroads.
A player’s three best net scores are counted and Donnelly is top of the table on 211 (68, 71, 72).
Second-placed Stefan Andreassen’s 76-4-72 last Saturday allowed him to drop a 75 and he is just three strokes back on 214 (72, 70, 72) heading into the final round this weekend.
Dave Pirimona is also in the hunt, a shot back on 215 (73, 71, 71).
If Anthony Pahina plays in the final round, a good round to go with his 66 in round 1 and 71 in round 2 could see him snatch the honours, as could Willy Mortleman, whose counters at the moment are 69, 70 and 82.
Pat Butler had the score of the day in round four – his 76-7-69 equalling his best score of 2024.
A run of four birdies powered Simon Jeune to the round of the year so far at Poverty Bay last Thursday.
The former Poverty Bay Open champion shot three-under 69 to win the division 1 men’s Stableford with 40 points.
Jeune bogeyed the third hole to be one over the card then unleashed birdies from the fourth to seventh holes, bogeyed the eighth and parred the ninth for an outward nine of two-under 34.
He went to four-under with birdies on the 10th and 13th holes and made a bogey on 16 before ending with consecutive pars to break 70 for the first time on his home track since a three-birdie 69 in November 2017.
Saturday - Men’s Stableford, division 1: P. Butler 39, W. Mortleman 38, I. Murphy 37, S. Andreassen 36.
Division 2: K. Gunness 38, D. Pirimona 37, J. Nepia 37, J. Van Helden 37.
Twos: D. Pirimona, W. Mortleman.
Approach: V. Richardson.
Thursday (January 16) - Men’s Stableford, division 1: S. Jeune 40, A. Abrahams 39, I. Murphy 36, N. Mackie 36, V. Richardson 36.
Division 2: Reid Fletcher 40, K. Gunness 39, C. Morton 35, J. Rowe 35.
Twos: W. Mortleman, S. Jeune, M. Higham.
Approach: S. Jeune.
Wednesday (January 15) - Twilight nine-hole Stableford, women: L. Haisman 20, O. Thompson 19, P. Wanklyn 18.
Men overall: M. Stewart 23, G. Middlemiss 23.
Men, front nine: C. Harris 22, C. Newman 22, T, Amess 22, J. Douglas 21, J. Nepia 21.
Men, back nine: M. Murphy 20, A. Blakeman 20, A. Wilson 19, N. Jenkins 18, D. Pirimona 18.
Tuesday (Jan 14) Stableford Veterans’ Stableford: P. Reid 43, S. Andreassen 40, K. Travers 39.
Coming up: Fulton Hogan Friday Ambrose Teams Series, February 14, 21, 28 and March 7, teams of four ambrose over six holes, shotgun start at 5.45pm, open to anyone including non-golfers, maximum handicap of 24 for non-golfers, includes platter and prizes each night, entry form available on Awapuni Links: Home of the Poverty Bay Golf Club Facebook page.
Patutahi
Mike Broad and Jonny Priestley set a hot pace in the opening round of the Summer Cup on Sunday.
Broad, playing more full rounds these days after being a predominantly nine-hole player, shot an excellent 80-16-64 to win the division 2 net.
Priestley won division 1 with 75-10-65 – his best round since a 70 in March of 2023.
It was not quite the thrill of his world jetsprint championship-winning days, but Peter Briant was no doubt buzzing after a rare foray into the 30s in the meat pack nine-hole Stableford last Friday. Briant won division 2 with 38-9-29, for 24 points.
Sunday - Summer Cup round 1, men’s net, division 1: J Priestley 65, A. Nimmo 66, D. Russell 66, M de Luze 67, P. Molloy 68.
Division 2: M. Broad 64, M. Owen 67, S. Skudder 68, C. Brown 70, D. Skudder 70.
Women’s net: K. McLatchie 71, K. Sarich 78 on c/b.
Friday - Meat pack 9-hole Stableford, division 1: N. Bunting 22, A. Hindmarsh 21, H. Harris 20, R. Pardoe 19, A. Downey 19.
Division 2: P. Briant 24, G. Maude 23, G. Roadley 22.
Coming up: Sunday, Feb 16, Patutahi Open Opening Tournament, 11am tee-off, Canadian mixed foursomes and men’s sections, contact George Brown on 0273709869 or horiboy1@xtra.co.nz
Waikohu
Sonny Ritchie and Audrey Tamanui-Nunn were the best of the bunch in round 2 of the Summer Cup on Sunday.
Ritchie won the men’s net with 92-22-70 while Tamanui-Nunn’s 102-27-75 led the women.
The third and final round is this Sunday. Players count their best two of three net scores.
Sunday - Summer Cup, round 2, men’s net: S. Ritchie 70, T. Brown 71, R. Reeves 72, P. Milner 74, K. Tamanui 75, T. Smith 75, T. Ruru 75.
Women’s net: A. Tamanui-Nunn 75, M. Tuapawa 76, A. Reeves 78, E. Wynyard 79.
Coming up: Sunday, Summer Cup, round 3; Saturday, February 1, Waikohu open opening day, men’s and Canadian mixed pairs sections, 10am cuppa, 11.30am tee-off, inquiries to Audrey 0221772474 or Karauria 0274041752.
Full Send
The man behind Tairāwhiti’s inaugural Full Send Long Drive and Putting Comp has three words of advice for those swinging “the big dog” at Awapuni Links on Friday ... ”don’t hold back”.
Tournament director Reece Witters confirmed on Wednesday around 80 people had signed up for the event and he was expecting “a few walk-ups” to add to that tally on the day.
Witters was rapt with the response to Full Send, which he views more as a social and family event than a competition.
That said, he wants those in the long drive comp to “grip and rip” and has a basic but helpful hint ... warm up with 20 or 30 swings so you can “hit the ground running”.
A test of the distance measuring radar last Saturday went well and Witters said it was “all systems go” for Friday.
Qualifying for the long drive comp is scheduled to start at 1pm. Each player gets two minutes to complete four drives in the six divisions – junior boys and girls, open men and women, and 50-years-plus men and women.
The putting comp starts at 2pm and will feature three greens – the 18th, the practice green in front of the clubhouse and the fifth green.
Those who complete their long drive qualifying earlier can transition quickly to the putting.
The putting finals will start at 6pm, followed by the long drive finals at around 6.30pm.
“We’ve got plenty of prizes on offer, so there’s every chance you’ll walk away with something great,” Witter said, emphasising the fun and family aspects of the day.
“A huge thank you to the club members who have adjusted their usual routines to accommodate this event. Your support and flexibility are vital in helping us host something new and exciting.”
