Golf: Young Bay team do us proud

Alanna Campbell led by example as Bay of Plenty exceeded expectations to make the final of the 2015 Women's Toro Interprovincials in Ashburton.

Bay of Plenty may have lost the final of the 2015 Women's Toro Interprovincials in Ashburton on Saturday but their mostly inexperienced golf team performed way beyond expectations.

Canterbury took the title with a comprehensive 5-0 win but all the matches were very much in the balance heading into the final holes. Bay of Plenty made the final after their finest performance in dismantling the highly-fancied Waikato team by 4.5/.5 on Saturday morning.

Waikato number one Chantelle Cassidy gained plenty of attention during the tournament and was confident of continuing her dominance. But no one told Bay number one Alanna Campbell, who easily beat Cassidy 3/1 in a continuation of the form she showed the national selectors all week.

Emmalee Morrell had a fine tournament for Bay of Plenty. Photo / Joseph Johnson

"I was definitely pleased with that. I just stuck to my game-plan. I know how [Cassidy] plays and I was able to work with that ..." Campbell said.

On Friday, the recently crowned Bay of Plenty Secondary Schools Sportswoman of the Year taught 12-year-old North Harbour star Vyan Parka a 4/3 golfing lesson.

Campbell, 17, led a team including two 15-year-olds, with Jodae Ngaheu and Olivia Choo having played the game for just three years.

"At the start of the week most people would not have thought the team could ever get into the final. I am actually very proud of what the team has done and how far we have got," she said.

The Bay of Plenty women's performance follows an equally fine effort from the men's team who made the semifinals at the Interprovincials held in Invercargill earlier this month.

Bay of Plenty Golf CEO, Chris McAlpine, says both teams boxed well above their weight.

"The boys lost three players and it was the first tournament for Henry [Spring] and Jordan Golding stepped up well, and Shaun Campbell is just chomping at the bit to get in. The exciting thing is we now know they can do better," McAlpine said.

"It looks like we are not going to lose anyone next year. In fact it will just be more people fighting for the team and it is great that all of them have indicated they are as keen as mustard next year. The boys created a great team spirit with manager Michael Campbell [CoachForce officer for golf]."

McAlpine says the quality of youthful players in the women's ranks is a great portent for the future.

"Rotana Howard would be the oldest of the girls considerably at 20 so that is really exciting too for next year. It is really great that we have the numbers coming through. This is the first time that I have seen girls who absolutely dedicate themselves to hours and hours of working. It is just so encouraging."

2015 Women's Toro Interprovincials.

Semifinal

Bay of Plenty 4 ½ Waikato ½ Alanna Campbell def Chantelle Cassidy 3/1, Emmalee Morrell def Brooke Hamilton 2 up, Rotana Howard def Fai Tongdethsri 1 up, Jodae Ngaheu def Hana-Rae Seifert 1 up, Heather Keefe halved with Kelly Nicholas

Final

Canterbury 5 Bay of Plenty 0 Momoka Kobori def Alannah Campbell 2/1 , Amelia Garvey def Emmalee Morrell 3/1, Catherine Bell def Rotana Howard 3/2, Juliana Hung def Jodae Ngaheu 3/2, Hillary O'Connor def Heather Keefe 3/1