GOLF - Hopes high for opening victory

Northland are hoping to knock over their neighbours when they play North Harbour at the Sherwood Park Golf Course this weekend in their first representative fixture of the season.
Northland's men's senior team manager Roy Pelsky said the home side are quietly optimistic ahead of the match.
"We really fancy our chances this year because Harbour have got a few players missing out of their normal line-up and of course it's at Sherwood Park," Pelsky said.
"But they're always tough, North Harbour have got a lot of depth, they've got a young team and have had a lot of players here this week for the under-23 competition."
Many North Harbour players were in evidence at the U-23 Sherwood Park Classic.
The format for this weekend's tournament is four ball best ball this morning, with reverse singles this afternoon and singles tomorrow morning.
Last year's Northland number one Gary-John Hill is in Australia at the moment and is unavailable for the match, and with further travel planned this season, he is not a likely starter for the province this year.
Instead, former Northland number one Dale Clarke will take the helm of the team for the last time before he departs for Australia next weekend.
After a seventh placing at the Bream Bay Classic last weekend, among one of the best fields in the history of the event, Waipu's Tony Mayo's seventh placing impressed the selectors enough to elevate him to play at number two in the team.
Brad Bonnington maintains his number three position while Gavin Welsh and Gene Wintle round out the top five. Former North Harbour representative Brett Dormer, now playing for the Kaitaia Club, makes his debut for Northland against his former province alongside Kaitaia evergreen Bob Shirley at number seven. Waitangi's Jack Winwood is at eight after impressing at Northland tournaments so far this year.
The women's team looks very similar to last year's line-up with the exception of Samantha Dangen, who is taking some time out.
NORTHLAND TEAMS
Senior women: Caroline Bon 1, Phoebe Perrin 2, Sunny Nam Koon 3, Jo Wech 4, Sandy McKenzie 5, Denise Pilbrow 6, Kerry Pevy 7, Barbara Thorne 8.
Senior men: Dale Clarke 1, Tony Mayo 2, Brad Bonnington 3, Gavin Welsh 4, Gene Wintle 5, Brett Dormer 6, Bob Shirley 7, Jack Winwood 8, Lee Newman 9, Josh Clark-Steadman 10.
Under-19 men: Shane Cole 1, Mitchell Price 2, Chris Alexander 3, Michael McDonald 4; under-16: Brook Nathan 1, Sean Masters 2, Kadin Neho 3, Komene Neho 4.