Golf: Brown takes BoI strokeplay

The Pines' Luke Brown has taken out the inaugural Bay of Islands Titleist-Footjoy Strokeplay Championship at the Waitangi Golf Club.

Brown won the 36-hole event on Saturday with a one-over par 145 - two clear of first round leader Chase McKeown from Waipu, with Kaitaia's Brett Dormer third.

Great conditions meant there were just enough challenging holes to offset the numerous birdie chances and it was McKeown who took advantage of those opportunities to race out to a two shot lead after the morning's round.

McKeown opened with a 3-under 69 courtesy of six birdies against three bogies.

Dormer on 71 and Luke Brown on 72 remained in touch in case McKeown stumbled - and that's what happened, to the Waipu golfer's disgust.

He started well, birdying two of the first three holes to get to 5-under, but came unglued with a bogey at the fourth followed by a triple bogey at six and double bogeys at 11 and 14.

Dormer opened his second round with a birdie at the first to get to 2-under before bogies at five, six and eight dropped him back. In the end, a bogey at 16, a double at 17 and another bogey at 18 cost him the title.

Brown, on the other hand, got to 2-under after three holes before a double bogey at the fifth and a bogey at the 11th appeared to have damaged his chances, but par golf over the final seven holes was enough to seal the title.

For the Waitangi Golf Club it was their first opportunity to match a top-quality field against the newly renovated holes on the course, with the par five 11th and the lengthened par three sixth proving to be incredibly challenging.

The event was the final qualifier for the Northland interprovincial team.

And on Sunday the Bay of Islands-Kerikeri team of Scott Wilson, Michael Perrin, Alex Neely and Paul Young convincingly beat Northland 6-0 to win the Northland Pennants competition (the third year in a row for the club), again at the Waitangi Golf Club.

BAY OF ISLANDS STROKEPLAY

Gross, Senior Division: Luke Brown (The Pines) 72,73-145, Chase McKeown (Waipu) 69,78-147, Brett Dormer, (Kaitaia) 71,76-147, Alex Neely (Bay of Islands-Kerikeri) 75,75-150, Braden Keown (Waipu)74,76-150, Scott Manyweathers (North Shore) 74, 76-150, Paul Young (BOI-Keri) 80,71-151, Julian Fowler (Northland) 79,73-152, Brad Bonnington (Wellsford) 78,74, 152, Kadin Neho (Whangarei) 75,78-153, Bob Shirley (Carrington Golf Club) 78,76-154, Scott Wilson (BOI-Keri) 78, 76-154, Iain Power (Northland) 83,73-156, Lee Neumann, (Northland) 84, 73-157, Chris Truscott, (Waitangi) 78,79-157, Michael Perrin, (BOI-Keri) 77,80-157, Thomas Neylon (Waipu) 83,75-158, Clint Brljevich (Waitangi) 82,77-159, Taylor Gill (BOI-Keri) 83,77-160, Liam Young (Waipu) 77,83-160; ALSO: Jackson Arkle 161, Daniel Millett 161, Kevin Kruse 163, Darren Markin 164, Craig Boles 165, Daniel Taylor 167, Ben Kennedy 167, Mark Oshea 168, Ben Bowmar 170, David Collins 171, Jahkobi Harris, Kohai Kingi 172, Sam Purdie 176.

Gross, Intermediate Division: Dave Hellens (Waitangi) 92,86-178, John McKiernan (Waitangi) 90, 89-179, Dave Scott (Waitangi) 95,85-180.

Gross, Junior/D Grade Division: Gary Forrest (Waitangi) 98,94-192, Bundie Waitai (Kaitaia) 96, 101-197, Grant Hastings (Waitangi)98, 100-198.

Net, Senior Division: Daniel Millett (Northland) 141, Jackson Arkle (Northland) 143, Julian Fowler (Northland) 144.

Net, Intermediate Division: John McKiernan (Waitangi) 147.

Net, Junior/D Grade Division: Grant Hastings (Waitangi) 152.