Ready to do battle on finals day of the Electrinet Gisborne Park men's club championships are (from left) James Witika, Dan Collier, Jason Devery and Anthony Pahina. Collier defeated Devery in the senior final while Witika beat Pahina for the intermediate honours. Luke Hayes won the junior final and Kymani Tamatea the endeavour title.
Ready to do battle on finals day of the Electrinet Gisborne Park men's club championships are (from left) James Witika, Dan Collier, Jason Devery and Anthony Pahina. Collier defeated Devery in the senior final while Witika beat Pahina for the intermediate honours. Luke Hayes won the junior final and Kymani Tamatea the endeavour title.
Electrinet Park
Dan Collier matched his trimmed-down body with some slick golf to clinch his fifth senior men’s club championship crown at the Park on Sunday.
Collier defeated Jason Devery 4 and 3 in the 36-hole matchplay final – adding 2024 to his 2008-2010 treble and 2015 triumph.
No 1 qualifier Collier was dominant throughout his campaign but Devery, who recently lost the senior final at Te Puia Hot Springs, kept him honest.
“I had a good front 18 [shooting 1-under],” Collier said. “I was 5-up at the halfway, then the second 18 was really topsy-turvey.”
Their third nine featured four holes won by Collier, four by Devery and one halved.
Collier teed off the 28th still at 5-up and while Devery got one back, the deficit was too great and they shook hands on the 33rd.
Collier, who has been on a health and fitness regime in recent months, paid tribute to his opponent, who he said had his driver “on a string” and “holed some nice putts”.
“I haven’t played a lot with J.D. really. He was one of the guys I looked up to when I was a junior ... nothing but respect for the bro.”
James Witika put in more work than any other player over the club champs to earn the intermediate title.
The intermediate division featured 26 players and rather than having a top 16, it was decided to give all of them a chance in the matchplay.
The top six advanced straight to round two while the other 20 fought for the other 10 spots in round one of matchplay – meaning an extra round for them (five matches for the finalists).
Witika qualified 16th overall, and after winning his first match, stunned No 1 qualifier Glenn McKinnon on the 19th in round two. He then beat John Collier jnr and Mike Christophers to make the final against Anthony Pahina – the 2020 intermediate champion.
“It was a tight game all the way through ... a real tough battle,” Witika said.
Pahina led 2-up after 10 holes but Witika fought back, including winning the par-3 16th with a double bogey despite going out of bounds, to be 3-up at the halfway mark.
He got to 4-up before Pahia reduced his deficit to two, but a par on the 35th hole was enough to secure Witika victory.
Luke Hayes denied Tony Leggett a second junior title 28 years after his first in a battle the winner described as “a great match”.
The 1996 champion Leggett was 2-up at the turn in their 18-hole clash but Hayes reeled in the deficit early in the back nine.
“Then it was tit for tat until 16 where I was 1-up, but hit it out of bounds,” he said.
COMING UP: WEDNESDAY, November 20, Coates Associates Ladies Xmas Tournament, report at 9am for 9.30am shotgun start, gross, net and Stableford prizes, 9-hole (report at 10.15am) and 18-hole sections, maximum handicap 36, entries close Monday, November 18, phone Kino White 0224956677, Jean Foot 8687744 or golf club 8679849, players encouraged to “wear a Xmas cheer”.
Colin Christie has headed to Waikato to live after more than 50 years as a member of the Poverty Bay Golf Club – 29 of those as a board or committee member.
Poverty Bay
Two men who have contributed immensely to Poverty Bay Golf Club – one off the course; the other on it – are headed to new fairways.
Head greenkeeper and long-time Poverty Bay-East Coast/Tairāwhiti representative William Brown is shifting to Queenstown’s prestigious Jack’s Point course, where he will be reunited with former Poverty Bay chief superintendent Jimmy Walker.
Brown leaves in December after making his way up the ladder at Poverty Bay since becoming a trainee greenkeeper. He can go with the satisfaction of having produced a superb course with greens that are among the best in the country.
A special farewell tournament is to be held for Brown on Thursday, November 21.
Poverty Bay board and committee member Colin Christie left for Cambridge on Wednesday to be closer to his children and grandchildren.
Christie has been a member of the course for more than 50 years – 29 of those as part of the club’s administration.
His efforts were acknowledged on Saturday after his last game at the Bay (he shot 85-13-72) before heading to Waikato, although he stressed he would definitely be back to play at a course he loves.
Christie has had his share of success over the decades, including a junior club champion title in 1980, Barns-Graham Cup men’s pairs glory with another Bay stalwart, Duncan Bush, in 2012 and multiple holes-in-one.
TUESDAY – Veterans’ Stableford: V. Richardson 41, R. Farmer 40, G. Marchbank 39, N. Jones 37.
Twos: D. Bush, L. Foster.
SUNDAY – Men’s Stableford, division 1: C. Carmody 41, P. Anderson 38, M. Norman 37.
THURSDAY (Oct 24) - Men’s Stableford, division 1: A. Abrahams 40, T. Goldsmith 37, S. Harbottle 37.
Division 2: M. Smith 43, G. Kemp 37, D. Bush 36.
Twos: S. Jeune.
Approach: W. Mortleman.
COMING UP: THURSDAY, November 21, Willy Brown Farewell men’s open tournament, in conjunction with Liquorland Thursday Throne, par, gross and net competition, 11.18am to 1pm start times, $25 entry to be paid prior to event, enter at pro shop; WEDNESDAY, November 13, Bronwyn Kay PB Women’s Open Christmas Tournament, stableford, 18-hole players report at 8.30am for 9am shotgun start, 9-holers report at 10.10am for 10.30am start, entry to Anne Gemmell (0272824971 or mandagemmell@xtra.co.nz) by Monday, November 11.
Husband and wife Peter and Iritana Ngarimu won the McDowell Cup by just one point on Sunday.
The Iritana combo posted 38 points for the Canadian mixed pairs Stableford format, with Henry Rasmussen and Robyn Ngatai second on 37.
Eruera West owned the individual Stableford, his 40 points three clear of James Forrester jnr.
SUNDAY – McDowell Cup Canadian mixed pairs Stableford: P. Ngarimu/I. Ngarimu 38; H. Rasmussen/R. Ngatai 37.
The Iritana combo posted 38 points for the Canadian mixed pairs Stableford format with Henry Rasmussen and Robyn Ngatai second on 37.
Mahia
The Fiordland Lobster Mahia Men’s 36-hole Open tournament is on this weekend. There is a nine-hole haggle on Friday up to 4pm, followed by 18 holes on Saturday and Sunday. Inquiries/entries to Maraea Wesche 0272292342 or mwesche@gmail.com.
The draw for Saturday is – No 1 tee, 7.30am: K. Ellison/P. Scott/L. Watson/L. Foster. 7.40: D. Waihaki/B. McEachan/D. Carroll/T. Goldsmith. 7.50: B. Maher/J. Aitchison/T. Ngamotu/S. Ngamotu. 8am: L. Tate/D. Foster/S. Phillips/K. Spring. 8.10: M. Stevens/R. Maruszewski/D. Gregory/C. Beattie. 8.20: C. Taewa/W. Donnelly/B. Talbot/J. Phillips.
No 6 tee, 7.30am: G. Shapland/J. Jenner/R. Smith/B. O’Connor. 7.40: D. McKinlay/K. Goldsmith/J. Ash/C. Taurima. 7.50: B. Solomon/D. Atkins/W. Thompson/P. Mildon. 8am: B. Cooper/P. Langford/K. Heremia/Bartlett/J. Whitehead. 8.10: D. Bremner/R. Bremner/R. Te Kanawa/T. Amorangi.
No 1 tee, 11.30am: B. Crowley/M. Birrell/J. Sheridan/G. Cook. 11.40: P. Bremner/R. Tully/P. Stewart/B. Yates. 11.50: P. Puha/T. Ruru/C. White/L. Hayes. 12 noon: W. Aupouri/J. Witika/R. Wynne-Lewis/D. White. 12.10: R. Hamblyn/Tweet Bird/M. Bird/A. Hindmarsh. 12.20: W. Albert/C. Albert/S. Pepper/B. Morrissey.
No 6 tee, 11.30am: K. Solomon/K. Birrell/P. Tuapawa/J. Chaffey. 11.40: J. Davidson/T. Sweeney/P. Milner/R. Pepper. 11.50: M. Yates/D. Boyle/H. Wilson/R. Hobson. 12 noon: R. Castle/M. Bond/J. Devery/M. Manuel. 12.10: W. Wesche/H. Brown/W. Brown/N. Amoamo/E. Brown jnr.
The Waikohu Golf Club's 2024 Coates and McLean 4x12-hole matchplay winners were decided over the weekend. Richard Reeves (left) won the Coates title, beating wife Andrea in the final. Percy Milner (right) presented the shield.
Waikohu
If there was one person Andrea Reeves did not want to play in the Coates and McLean trophies matchplay tournament over the weekend, it was her husband.
Both made it the Coates Stableford final of the 12-hole matchplay tournament and Richard Reeves emerged the champion ... but only just.
They ended the 12 holes on the same Stableford total, meaning sudden-death, and Richard won after Andrea, in her own words, “duffed my drive” on the 13th.
She admitted later that she would have preferred to have played “anyone else but him”.
Larry Green denied another Reeves the McLean title – beating Richard’s brother Terry in the final.
Percy Milner was top qualifier.
SUNDAY – Coates and McLean 4x12-hole matchplay tournament, Coates final: Richard Reeves def Andrea Reeves.
