"He was a very devoted team man, who was one of those guys always there when you needed him," said Fowler. "Nothing was ever an issue. He worked really, really hard to lift the standard of his own game to make sure he was in the team each year."
Fowler believed the Bay had a really good chance of defending their title.
"The average handicap of the five golfers is two, which says a lot about the standard of the team. The guys have been working really hard. We have had some coaching sessions courtesy of Bay of Plenty Golf, which has been great, plus the guys have been working individually and collectively pretty much every day for the last month."
Bay of Plenty have been strengthened by having former professional golfer Mikki Strong in the team.
"He got his amateur status back in July and he certainly gives us a lot of strength in that middle order for sure," said Fowler.
Bay of Plenty Golf chief executive, Chris McAlpine, was impressed with the culture the team had developed.
"For years we used to struggle to get players to represent us at this level and now we have guys busting their guts to make the team.
"It is a very healthy competition now and a lot of that is down to Ross Fowler, who has created a culture which has been very positive.
"We expect them to do very well again but they snuck under the radar last year because they had not featured in the past, but this time they go in as title holders so the pressure will be on them."
Playing order
- Blair Murdock, Tauranga; Justin Rasmussen, Tauranga; Mikki Strong, Omokoroa; Steve Heberley, Whakatane; Jason Madden, Mt Maunganui. Reserve: Bryan Pirani, Omokoroa.
What is it?
- The Lion Foundation Freyberg Masters has 15 teams of five golfers from provinces throughout New Zealand compete in the over-40s match play contest.
- Venue: Waitangi Golf Club, November 2 - 7.
