News and results from Gisborne East Coast golf clubs

Reuben Mortart takes the ball out of the hole after achieving his first hole-in-one at Patutahi Golf Club last Friday. Mottart sank a four-hybrid on the 185m ninth hole. The beekeeper chose not to describe it as "a buzz" or "sweet". He settled on "stoked".

Patutahi

Beekeeper Reuben Mottart’s first hole-in-one is a headline writer’s dream.

“Perfect shot has Patutahi player buzzing”

“Career-first ace sweet success for Reuben”

“Show me the honey as Mottart produces bee-rilliant shot”

Puns aside, Mottart was, along with his playing partners, buzzing after sinking his tee shot on one of the toughest holes on his home Patutahi course last Friday – the 185m par-3 ninth.

“I think it’s my least favourite hole,” said the 24-year-old beekeeper who works for East Coast’s King Bees/Pauariki Honey.

Mottart hit a four-hybrid on the ninth during Friday’s weekly meat pack Stableford, and he and his playing partners strained their eyes in darkening conditions as the ball hit the pin – although he reckons he heard it.

They weren’t sure until his mate, Antonio Zame, checked the hole and confirmed it.

Mottart said he wasn’t sure how to react.

“I was pretty happy . . . it was a good feeling . . . stoked.”

Mottart has been playing seriously for only a couple of seasons after friend Dean Pohatu got him into the game.

In that time he has already won one of the club’s most prestigious titles - the Te Kani Pere men’s matchplay - en route to getting his handicap down to eight.

His perfect shot helped him to second in the senior division of the meat pack Stableford and he carried that form into Sunday, winning the senior men’s Stableford with 75-9-66, for 40 points.

Phoenix Nickerson’s 42-point effort, which won him the junior men’s division on Sunday, was the round of the weekend.

Helen Pomana showed class is forever in winning the women’s competition with 39 points.

Daniel Williams has also been in impressive form, winning the Friday meat pack senior division with 24 points and following up with 40 on Sunday.

Peter Jex-Blake racked up 25 points to win the meat pack junior division.

SUNDAY - Men’s Stableford, senior division: R. Mottart 40, B. McKenzie 37, P. Hokianga 37, J. Neilson 37, A. Nimmo 36.

Junior division: P. Nickerson 42, M. Broad 40, D. Williams 40, B. Tietjen 40, G. Holland 37.

Women’s Stableford: H. Pomana 39, S. Gray 39, A. Davis 37.

Twos: G. Brown, B. McKenzie, L. Anania, L. Jamieson.

FRIDAY - Meat pack 9-hole stableford, senior division: D. Williams 24, R. Mottart 20, A. Nimmo 20, A. Blakeman 20, P. Molloy 19.

Junior division: P. Jex-Blake 25, C. Newman 21, D. Quinn 20, S. Fookes 19, C. Blumfield 19.

Poverty Bay

Normo’s back.

Mark Norman, the 2018 Barns-Graham Cup men’s pairs winner (with Dave Jenkins) is eyeing another BG triumph with a new partner – seven-time Poverty Bay Open champion Waka Donnelly.

The pair will begin their challenge alongside 37 other combos in best-ball Stableford qualifying on Saturday.

Among those will be John Van Helden, half of the 2023-winning duo, who, in the absence of Richard Owen, has paired with Glen Udall.

Norman goes into Saturday with momentum. He won the Division 1 men’s Stableford on Sunday with 39 points.

But he would be the first to admit, that a week is a long time in golf, and those who come out as No 1 seeds late Saturday afternoon are those who don’t necessarily play well as individuals, but combine the best.

The field contains a multitude of former champions – the most historical of those is Duncan Bush, who won it in 1977 with B.J. Carey and again in 2012 with Colin Christie. That same duo are giving it another tilt.

Bill Allen is also returning for the umpteenth time He won it in 1980 with the late Roy Skuse and the pair repeated history 36 years later. Allen is aiming for a third alongside son Mike.

Rowan Clark won it as a 19-year-old with J.R. Grant in 1983. He is back, this time with fellow sexagenarian Simon Jeune.

Gerald Kemp paired with the late great E.J. Gordon to claim the crown in 1982 and 1995. His hat-trick hopes lie with Reid Fletcher.

Craig Palmer, who won in 1996 with Dennis Greeks, has come out of the woodwork and joined Ross Morley for this year’s chapter of a trophy dating back to 1951.

Colin Simpson and son Adam are looking to become the first father and son combo to win it since Barry and Michael Brown in 2004.

Barry, who also won it with Mike Glassford in 1994, will attempt to make it a treble with Dudley Meadows who, going on Brown’s history, could consider renaming himself “Mike” Meadows for this edition.

Sam Willock will be hoping some of wife Rosie’s Monday form rubs off on him. She won the women’s net with 67. Sam is playing it again with Marty Reynolds.

Favourites? The qualifying board on Saturday will suggest a few although as last year’s top qualifiers, Phil Allan and Chris Shaw will attest, being No 1 means Jack Squat. They were bundled out in the first round of matchplay.

Let the BG begin.

WEDNESDAY - LGU, 9-hole players, silver division: J. Williams 37.

Least putts: P. Dymock 16.

Bronze division: V. Meade 37.

Least putts: J. Newman 19.

18-hole players, silver: M. Allen 91-18-73.

Bronze I: K. Shaw 95-21-74.

Bronze II: C. Skuse 109-30-79.

Overall net winner: M. Allen 73.

MONDAY - Women’s net: R. Willock 67.

Twos: R. Willock, P. Wanklyn (eagle on 14).

SUNDAY - Men’s Stableford, division 1: M. Norman 39, S. Andreassen 38, M. McMenamin 38, B. Morgan 36.

Division 2: C. Hensley 38, L. Hewson 37, P. Grogan 37, J. Finch 36, K. Miringaorangi 36.

Twos: M. Norman, J. Van Helden.

Approach: M. Norman.

SATURDAY - Men’s Stableford, division 1: D. Wilson 39, D. Jenkins 36, B. Colbert 36, S. Jeune 36, V. Richardson 36.

Division 2: K. Summersby 39, K. Goldsmith 38, N. West 36, C. Mackay 36.

Twos: S. Andreassen, T. Goldsmith.

Approach: S. Andreassen.

THURSDAY (June 6) - Men’s Stableford, division 1: G. Brown 38, P. Graham 38, N. Mackie 36, N. Whyte 35.

Division 2: Reid Fletcher 40, B. Read 40, B. Allen 40, R. Owen 39, A. Jefferd 38.

Twos: I. Murphy, C. Christie, T. Castle, N. Whyte, R. Owen.

Approach: M. Thomas.

The qualifying round of the Gisborne Motors Barns-Graham Cup men’s pairs is on Saturday. The draw is - No 1 tee, 11.15am: R. Fletcher/G. Kemp, B. Brown/D. Meadows. 11.23: S. Harbottle/B. Talbot, A. Putnam/B. Colbert. 11.31: R. Morley/C. Palmer, K. Marshall/J. Situ. 11.39: M. Stewart, V. Richardson/P. Clayton. 11.47: M. Barker/W. Brown, C. Carmody/D. Robertson. 11.55: N. Mackie/P. Mullooly, D. Bullivant/A. Lawler.

12.03pm: S. Jeune/R. Clark, R. Chalmers/G. Hawea. 12.11: K. Summersby/S. Boyd, T. Sherratt/P. Humphreys. 12.19: C. Simpson/A. Simpson, A. Jennings/G. Brown. 12.27: M. Callaghan/A. Abrahams, C. Taewa/C. Jeffrey.

No 10 tee, 11.15am: J. Van Helden/G. Udall, W. Mortleman/P. Graham. 11.23: K. Goldsmith/T. Goldsmith, C. Christie/D. Bush. 11.31: N. West/R. Foon, M. Smith/B. Read. 11.39: S. Willock/M. Reynolds, J. Williams/ R. Murphy. 11.47: C. Shaw/P. Allan. B. Simpson/S. Francks. 11.55: H. Williams/P. Butler, B. Morgan/P. Rickard.

12.03pm: P. Hakiwai/F. Ball, B. Allen/M. Allen. 12.11: S. Andreasson/C. Morton, W. Donnelly/M. Norman. 12.19: P. Grogan/J. Kerekere, G. Clapham/G. Morley.

Te Puia Hot Springs

Daryl Goldsmith and Aomihi Cook were the Sunday winners.

Goldsmith won the men’s Stableford with 38 points while Cook’s 103-37-66 won the third round of the captain’s competition for women.

SUNDAY - Men’s Stableford: D. Goldsmith 38, J. Forrester 36, P. Ngarimu 36.

Twos: D. Cook.

Women’s captain’s competition, third round (net/LGU): A. Cook 103-37-66; H. McClutchie: 91-20-71; I. Ngarimu 97-24-73.

COMING UP: SUNDAY, club meeting.

Tahunga

Tom Stewart’s eagle-3 on the 367-metre 16th hole highlighted Sunday’s club competition.

Spencer Butt and Tammy Steele were the Stableford winner.

SUNDAY - Stableford: S. Butt 35, B. Johnson 33.

All-in approach: B. Johnson.

Men’s best second shot: T. Stewart.

Eagle on 16: T. Stewart

Twos: R. Langlands.

Women’s Stableford: T. Steele.

Women’s best second shot: K. Johnson.

Electrinet Park

The quest for Te Kanawa Cup men’s pairs glory begins this weekend with best-ball Stableford qualifying.

Title hopefuls have Saturday or Sunday to post a qualifying score and among them will be reigning champions Anthony and Shaun Pahina, who beat Tom Reynolds and Darrel Gregory in the 2023 final.

Neither of the runners-up are in the 2024 field which has been steadily growing over the week.

Club members were delighted that Fred Lewis was recognised for his contribution to sport and philanthropy in the King’s Birthday Honours List. Lewis has been a long-time and generous supporter of the club.

SUNDAY - Men’s net: J. Hayes 72, J. Akurangi 73, K. Spring 74, M. Downie 74.

Twos: M. Henwood, S. Phillips, M. Christophers, B. Reynolds, P. Stewart.

Tolaga Bay

Rongo Pomana’s 78-11-67 won the net on Sunday, one ahead of Bruce Yates and Trent Higgs.

Murray Yates had the least putts (24) and Watene Reedy won the approach.

Waikohu

The Waikohu Men’s Open scheduled for Saturday has been postponed.