Mt Maunganui and Omokoroa are on a collision course for a semifinal spot in Bay of Plenty Golf's championship pennant series, with just half a point separating them in the standings after Sunday's fourth round at the Mount.
Mount started and finished the day on 25 points after sitting out the home-course bye, while Omokoroa blew their chance to move into outright second, gathering just 3 match points after being soundly beaten 8 to 3 by Tauranga.
Tauranga lead the five-team blue section on 31 points, with Mt Maunganui on 25 and Omokoroa half a point back and set to clash in the final round-robin at Whakatane on April 29. Even Springfield, on 21 points, can still quality from the blue section after an 8 to 3 defeat of Taupo on Sunday, but will need an unlikely clean sweep of Tauranga at Whakatane to even have a sniff.
Omanu, on 30, lead the gold section but struggled to a 7-5 win over bottom-placed Otumoetai, relying on tail-order players Ron Sissons, Tawera Williams, Justin Rasmussen and Adam Grierson to get them home, with their top three losing their singles. Regular No1 Craig Hamilton was away playing the Taranaki Open, where he finished as second-best amateur.
Rotorua, on 26, sit second after demolishing Whakatane 10-2 at the Mount, with No2 Victor Janin a surprising loser to Stu Stephens, 1 down in the singles.
Tauranga were in control against Omokoroa after the foursomes, leading 3-1, and came home comfortably with singles wins to John Waretini, Ben Shanly, Hayden O'Donnell, David Feeney and Sam Davis, although No1 Eddie Burgess lost 7 and 5 to Andrew Stewart who fired six birdies in 12 holes to wrap up the match early.
After the final round-robin the top two teams from each section play cross-over semifinals at Tauranga on May 13 before the final at Taupo a week later.
Round four championship pennants:
Springfield 8 Taupo 3 :
Foursomes 2-2.
Singles: Craig Tiriana def Lauire Hema 4/3, Mark Smith def George Lasker 1up, Paul Fox def Neil Hickman 3/2, Craig Newbrook def Mark Tito 2/1, Ross Fowler halved with Marcel Makea, Tony Cross def Bruce Were 4/3, Shane Cole lost to Stephen Harris 3/2, Dean Johnson def Tom Slaven 5/4.
Tauranga 8 Omokoroa 3:
Foursomes 3-1 Tauranga
Singles: Richard Craven halved with Tyler King, John Waretini def Andrew Pratt 5/4, Karl Knedler lost to Jon Stewart 3/2, Ben Shanly def Bryan Pirani 2/1, Hayden O'Donnell def Daryn Lowans 2/1, David Feeney def Tony Hewlett 2/1, Sam Davis def Harry Middleton 3/2, Eddie Burgess lost to Andrew Stewart 7/5.
Omanu 7 Otumoetai 5:
Foursomes Omanu 2 to 1:
Singles: Ron Sissons def Rob Neal 7/6, Jobey Hudson halved with Glen Boyer, Tawera Williams def Paul Milroy 3/2, Justin Rasmussen def Steve Milroy 7/6, Adam Grierson def Brad Geary 3/2, Mark Kiwi lost to Chris Charlton 3/2, Paul Crone lost to Damon Clark 5/4, Jordan Golding lost to Cameron Neal 1 down.
Rotorua 10 Whakatane 2:
Foursomes 3to Rotorua.
Singles: Mark Hall def Henry Spring 3/2, Kerry Smith def John Crawshaw 6/5, Dave Humphrey halved with Peter Mexted, Steve Holloway def Daryl McEwan 2up, William Brown def Steve Heberley 3/2, William Howard def Steve Boon 4/3, Victor Janin lost to Stu Stephens 1 down, Landyn Edwards def Adam Broadmore 4/2.
Points update:
Blue section: Tauranga 30, Mt Maunganui 25, Omokoroa 25, Springfield 21, Taupo 9. Gold section: Omanu 30, Rotorua 26, Te Puke 23, Whakatane 18, Otumoetai 14.