Golf: Southern dream of first win in half-century lives on

Southland continue to live their dream of a first Tower interprovincial golf championship and unfancied Auckland had cause to celebrate after another topsy-turvy day at the Invercargill Golf Club yesterday.

The southerners, who have never won this championship, which began in 1951, proved that their two wins on the opening day were not accidental by rolling defending champions Wellington 4 1/2 to 1/2 in the fourth round.

Southland join Canterbury and Bay of Plenty at the top of the table with three wins from three games. Throw in Otago (fourth) and Tasman (fifth) and four South Island teams are in the top five.

Auckland climbed off the floor after the 2-3 opening round loss to North Harbour with a couple of convincing wins yesterday, 4-1 over Tasman and 5-0 over Aorangi.

Auckland are now sixth with two points and 11 individual wins, a number beaten only by Southland (12 1/2) and Otago (11 1/2).

Auckland manager Terry Pulman is not getting excited by his team's charge up the leaderboard.

"Nothing has changed," he said. "We're doing the same thing every day and keeping our spirits up. We knew we had to win [against Aorangi]. If we lost in the afternoon, the win in the morning would have meant absolutely zero.

"We know we don't have any champions in the team, but we are striving to become a champion team. It is hard with four players new to Tower golf."

Southland's thumping of Wellington cannot be laid purely at the door of local knowledge, since only Gary Radka plays all his golf at the Otatara course, and even then the course is not as tough as it has been.

"Most of the players are familiar with Otatara through the Southland Invitational anyway," Radka said, "and the rough has been cut back from what it was."

Canterbury have not been totally on their game this week, as their 3 1/2-1 1/2 win over Poverty Bay East Coast showed. Isaac Randall lost the last two holes to halve with Hamish Douglas, and Eddie Lee was four down with four to play against Dean Twigley and almost got out.

Bay of Plenty had two 3 and 2 wins, over Taranaki in the morning and Otago in the afternoon. Bay No. 1 Eddie Burgess, four down after 10 holes to Regan McRae, eagled the 11th and birdied the 13th and 14th, the last from 20m, to win 2 and 1.

In today's only round, Southland play Poverty Bay, Canterbury meet Waikato and Bay of Plenty are against Tasman.

Wellington and Auckland both face tricky matches, Wellington against Manawatu-Wanganui and Auckland against Taranaki.

- Herald correspondent