KEY POINTS:
Four wins in the past six years and Bay of Plenty golf captain Mark Smith is keen for more.
His team beat Wellington 3-2 in a high-quality final of the interprovincial championship on Saturday at Mt Maunganui, home ground for the Bay in a contest that is hosted in turn by all 15 provinces.
Asked about his future after playing every year since Bay broke a 50-year drought in the contest at Whangarei in 2002, Smith quipped: "Six down and nine to go. This one might be the best.
"We were favourites going in and carrying the favourite tag at home is tough.
"To win it after losing to Hawkes Bay on the way makes it sweeter. The course was something of a leveller and things didn't always go our way. But this was a superb team effort."
Smith played at No 1 in the drought-breaking victory at Whangarei but he was at No 5 this time and played his part by beating Richard Pegg 3 and 2 in the final.
Jason McIntosh, another survivor from 2002, lost to Shaun Richards and Kevin Smith was edged out by Peter Spearman-Burn, who had seven wins and a half during the tournament.
In the deciding game Jared Pender and Andrew Green had been level after nine holes. Pender was one up coming to the last and held his nerve to halve the hole and clinch the Bay triumph.
The semifinals were never as close with Bay beating Tasman 4-1 and Wellington accounting for North Harbour by the same margin. Tasman were surprise semifinalists but there was no surprise that their only semifinal winner was No 2 Sean Riordan, who won his sixth game of the week.
North Harbour started slowly and never recovered. Scott Johnson had their only win, repeating his effort from the semis at Timaru last year.
Hawkes Bay gained some consolation for missing the semifinals when their No 1, Nick Gillespie, who won all his games in his debut at this level, was named player of the tournament.
The tournament, which will carry naming sponsorship from Toro for the next three years, confirmed its place as one of the strengths of New Zealand Golf. There are plans for a smaller version of rugby's Super 14 but it should not be allowed to supplant an event that provides a national stage for talent from small centres such as Takaka and Waverley.
The Mt Maunganui course, immaculately prepared but relatively benign, promoted close competition. Otago failed to win a match but Tasman, Northland, Southland and Taranaki had some famous victories. Next year's event will be at Nelson.
