Golf: Trio virtually sure of spot in semis

By BOB PEARCE in WHANGAREI

A two-metre clutch putt by Mathew Holten, a precision pitch by Chris Johns and Waikato and North Harbour preserved their perfect record in the interprovincial tournament at Sherwood Park yesterday.

They joined the impressive Bay of Plenty team, who have won all their four matches with 17 individual victories.

North Harbour have taken 15 and Waikato 14.

These three have all but sealed places in the semifinals tomorrow, with Canterbury, Auckland, Otago, Hawkes Bay and defending champions Wellington still in with a chance.

In the only round yesterday, with the southerly still buffeting exposed parts of the course, Bay of Plenty were never troubled in beating Aorangi 5-0.

Today they play Hawkes Bay and Auckland.

Waikato had to stage something of a recovery to beat Canterbury 3-2.

Brad Shilton at the top of the order won comfortably and David Jackson at the bottom steadied his game to account for the experienced Andrew Hobbs.

Holten's game with Matthew Peter proved the decider.

They were level with two to play when Peter missed a short putt to go one down.

Holten held his nerve to hole that two-metre putt on the last for the win.

Waikato meet North Harbour this morning in a match that will confirm a semifinal place for one team.

In the afternoon Waikato play Wellington.

North Harbour were also in trouble early against Northland and at no stage were they comfortable.

Phil Mosley, who was playing these tournaments 20 years ago, fought back to win 3 and 2, and Johns started to display some of the shots that made him a national champion.

There was none better than the pitch from 20m to the narrowest part of the seventh green, where he sealed victory 3 and 2 over Reuben Inglis.

Elsewhere, youngsters James Davis and Andrew Park held their form to make the final margin 4-1.

North Harbour's afternoon match today will be against Manawatu-Wanganui.

Auckland had the day off yesterday, but play Bay of Plenty and Otago today. They will need a reversal of the form that saw them walloped 5-0 by Hawkes Bay on Wednesday.

One team celebrating already are Poverty Bay.

The tiny province, who select from just eight trialists, had their first win for seven years, beating Tasman 3-2.

Their biggest winner in more ways than one was Bayden Waiwai, who is two metres tall (6ft 7in) and won 7 and 6.

He comes from Wairoa, but plays at Gisborne.