Golf: Bay of Plenty side triumph over ghosts

By BOB PEARCE in WHANGAREI

Mark Smith has waited a long time to make the Bay of Plenty team for the national interprovincial tournament, but nobody could have made a bigger first impression.

The 22-year-old from Rotorua played at No 1, won all his matches and captained the Bay team to their first victory after more than 50 years of trying.

In a gripping final at Sherwood Park on Saturday, Bay of Plenty held off a strong fightback by North Harbour to capture the title 4-1, a margin which did not reflect the closeness of the encounter.

With three holes to play the match was level and one of the decisive shots was a chip-in by Smith at the par-three 17th to go one up on James Davis, a lead he held to the finish.

Other winners for the Bay were Jason McIntosh 3 and 1 over Phil Mosley and Jae An one up over Chris Johns.

George Kinghorn and Terry Hong halved their games with Andrew Park and Joshua Carmichael.

Smith, named player of the series, won the North Island tournament a couple of years ago, but still couldn't make the Bay team.

"I reckon it hardened me up a bit. I knew this week, if I did well, the team would do well. The short game is what we worked on. On the 17th I was toast. I didn't think I could even stop it on the green."

The Bay, under the care of manager Dan Dougherty and coach Geoff Smart, were the first team in Whangarei for the tournament and usually first on the course each day preparing for their matches.

It paid off with the 17-year-old Hong unbeaten with six wins and two halves, 25-year-old Kinghorn with six wins and one half, 14-year-old An with six wins and 21-year-old McIntosh with five wins.

Kinghorn will try for a professional card in Australia next month, but the others should be around for next year.

North Harbour could take credit from their second placing. In nine years of their existence they have made the final twice and it is inconceivable that they will have to wait 50 years for their first win.

Perhaps they could claim to be the strongest province overall because their women won the national interprovincial title a few weeks ago.

While Bay waltzed to the final 4-1 past a disappointing Canterbury, Harbour beat the favoured Waikato team 3-2 thanks to solid wins from Park, Johns and Carmichael.

After a slow start in the final, they showed great fighting spirit to get back into contention and there were basically only a couple of shots in it at the finish.

Park, a 16-year-old from Rangitoto College, was unbeaten with five wins and three halves. Johns and Carmichael had five wins, Davis four-and-a-half and Mosley four.

The Sherwood Park course, with its testing rough and small, but very quick greens, came through with flying colours. Next year the tournament will be at the Coringa Club in Christchurch.