GOLF - Bon battles the boys in golf classic

American golfer Michelle Wie may have started the trend but at the Whangarei Golf Club last Thursday it was Northland's Caroline Bon who had everyone talking.
Bon's appearance in the playoff to find the overall winner at the Platinum Homes Northland Under-23 Golf Classic was made even more compelling by the fact she was competing against two males for the overall title.
Lining up against Bon in the playoff was Wellsford's Northland men's No.2 Brad Bonnington, and Waitemata 23-year-old Kevin Budden. All three players finished their three rounds of golf on the same score of 222.
Bon started her tournament with a round of five-over par 77 on Wednesday morning before improving three shots in the afternoon round. On Thursday she scored a one-under 71 to force her way into the playoff, picking up two shots on her rivals who both shot one-over par final rounds of 73.
Alas for the Northland pair, Budden started a great week at Northland tournaments by winning the playoff on the second hole. The top New Zealand junior then went on to take fifth place in the prestigious but rain-soaked Bream Bay Classic at the Waipu Golf Course over the weekend.
Bon still retained her victory in the girls' division 10 shots ahead of second-placed Jenna Hirst, with North Shore net winner Robyn Scott in third.
Waipu golfer Shane Cole won the second division prize for players with handicaps over 6.3.
Mangawhai's Lee Newman was the first division net winner of the tournament, while newcomer Julien Fowler was the second division winner.
The 11-year-old player from the Whangarei Golf Club has only just started playing the game seriously and his 33 handicap combined with his enthusiasm for the sport, saw him as the popular winner of the division.
Three players were selected into the Northland Eagles squad at the tournament. Tapora's Reece Mist joins Whangarei's Noema Neho and Newman in the annual Eagles national under-19 tournament in Tauranga in September.