Golf: Accuracy issue hurts Bay on opening day

Ben Swinburne halved and won games to remain undefeated on day one at the Interprovincials yesterday.

Day 1, Invercargill

That Steve Harris is a nice guy is a given but embellishment certainly isn't part of his repertoire.

Consequently when the Hawke's Bay senior men's representative team had a mixed bag yesterday on day one of the annual Toro Interprovincial team matchplay competition, the rookie captain didn't mince words from Invercargill.

"We got outplayed, to be honest," Harris said from Invercargill after the Bay registered a 3.5-1.5 victory over Taranaki on the opening day in the morning at Otatara Golf Club but crashed 4-1 to Tasman in the afternoon.

"Last night in our team talk we spoke about the importance of starting well so the boys focused and everyone turned up this morning," said the 30-year-old amateur from Hastings Golf Club.

Needless to say Harris was immensely proud of how his troops played to the last hole even though they were shot down in a hail of bullets in the afternoon massacre.

"They [Tasman] were much more accurate than us although earlier on a couple of holes could easily have gone either way."

Missing putts, he said, came back to bite them on the bum later in the day.

"It was about taking responsibility and giving 100 per cent so I'm very proud of the boys who fought to the end."

Ben Swinburne, of Ongaonga club, was the only undefeated player after halving in the morning at No 5 then moving up to No 4 in the arvo for a crushing 7-5 victory over Tasman's Sam Nichols.

Harris said Swinburne played well and it all added to the collective cause.

It was a sublime day on a "great course" but the roughs, especially those crowning the greens, were unforgiving.

Iron approaches not landing with intent near the pin only offered half a metre cushion.

The balmy weather also contributed to the greens becoming slicker in the afternoon.

The Bay, sitting third in division two, play bottom-of-table, win-less Wellington this morning and then unblemished table toppers Northland in the arvo. Southland are setting the pace in division one.