Also in a Waikohu shirt will be Solomann’s son Glenn, a Howick College student and Auckland development squad member who is fast following in his dad’s fairway steps.
Tomorrow, “Solly” senior and junior will be joined by Terry Reeves and captain Percy Milner for the opening two rounds at the ’Tahi.
Waikohu will leap into the deep end from the get-go. They face defending champions Electrinet Park 1 in the morning and Patutahi 2 in the afternoon.
Daniel Collier is leading Park 1 this year in the absence of 2022 player of the pennants Anaru Reedy, who has decided to concentrate on a mentoring role for young players in the Park 2 squad.
This has opened the door for the likes of Silas Brown, who will be at No.4 for Park 1 tomorrow, alongside Pete Stewart and Sel Peneha.
Collier and Stewart were pivotal in last year’s 6-2 win over Patutahi 2 in the final which ended an 11-year title drought for Park.
The ’Tahi have two powerful sides vying for glory and pose a daunting challenge on their home track.
Hukanui Brown, fresh from breaking the course record (8-under 62) captains a side also featuring older brother Eddie, pennants organiser Dwayne Russell, Shayde Skudder and Dean Pohatu.
Skudder will play in the morning round against Te Puia Springs before heading
to Gisborne and swapping the golf shoes for rugby boots for premier club side YMP.
Pohatu will take his place in the afternoon round against Tolaga Bay.
Jace Brown is in charge of a ’ Tahi 2 outfit with the potential to go one better than last year’s runners-up finish.
Reef Pohatu, at No.3, and Regan Hindmarsh, No.4, will take some beating on their home track, while Chris Beattie, at No.2, should not be underestimated.
The most successful team in the history of the pennants, Poverty Bay, have a new face in former Hawke’s Bay man and 2-handicapper Quin McPike.
Glenn Morley is leading the side from No.1, with Mark Jefferson at No.2 and David Situ No.3
They open their campaign with a potentially tricky encounter against a team who could be the dark horses of the series — Tolaga Bay.
The unflappable Taine Lincoln is captaining an Uawa crew with many years of pennants experience, Lincoln is at No.1, Neil Hansen No.2, Bruce Yates No.3 and Tere Lincoln No.4.
Ending Te Puia Springs’ long wait for Oligoi glory is the mission of Andrew Higham, who fronts a side with the firepower to achieve it.
Poverty Bay head greenkeeper and reigning Poverty Bay Open champion William Brown is at No.1, Higham 2, Mahia’s Wade Wesche 3 and Thomas Donovan 4 tomorrow morning.
John Wyllie will make his return to the pennants in the afternoon in the place of Wesche.
Park 2 feature two Oligoi debutants in rising star Marcus Gray and multi-talented sportsman Craig Christophers.
Matt Henwood is captaining the side from the No.1 slot with Gray’s fellow leftie Zach Rolls at 2, Christophers at 3 and Gray 4.
Their afternoon match-up with Park 1 should be interesting. Henwood faces Collier and the pair lock swords again the next day in Park’s Handicap Cup senior men’s final.
Following tomorrow’s two rounds, Tolaga Bay host rounds 3 and 4 on April 22, Park rounds 5 and 6 on May 7 and Mahia round 7 on May 13.
The positional playoff finals are scheduled for Poverty Bay on May 28.
Tomorrow is also the opening round of the Endeavour men’s handicap pennants. Tolaga Bay are the hosts.
Oligoi Jug draw for rounds 1 and 2 —
Round 1: Te Puia Springs v Patutahi 1, Tolaga Bay v Poverty Bay, Park 1 v Waikohu, Patutahi 2 v Park 2.
Round 2: Park 1 v Park 2, Patutahi 2 v Waikohu, Te Puia v Poverty Bay, Tolaga Bay v Patutahi 1.
