Golf: Omanu lose Hamilton for final

Omanu predictably got the job done but whether they're still firing in a few weeks without one of the big guns at their disposal is a whole different question.
Omanu, languishing in Bay of Plenty Golf's senior A division two years ago, will host the May 29 championship final after finishing on top of round-robin after the 9th and final round of matches yesterday at Tauranga.
They headed into the last round with a 2-point buffer on Tauranga, who sat out the bye yesterday, and 6 clear of Mt Maunganui, and cruised against Whakatane, surviving an early scare after the foursomes were split to run away with the singles 6 to 1 to go four clear of Mount.
Mount thumped wooden-spooners Taupo 11-1 to climb to second on the ladder and will host Tauranga on May 22, the winner to face Omanu in the final.
Omanu No1 Mark Kiwi, who combined with Bay of Plenty rep Craig Hamilton for a win in the foursomes before halving his afternoon singles with Whakatane's Ryan Maxwell, said they were stoked to top round-robin so soon after being promoted to the top tier. "From senior A two years ago to hosting the final - it's not bad, is it?"
Kiwi revealed Hamilton, a 5 and 3 winner over John Crawshaw in his No2 singles match yesterday, wasn't available for the final, although Hamilton's absence won't surprise the other title-contending clubs who were busy speculating how Omanu would cope.
Hamilton leaves on Wednesday for the UK, where he will join his brother James, an aspiring professional, in tournaments including the Scottish amateur strokeplay, British amateur and several order of merit events
Kiwi said the younger Hamilton sibling left a big gap: "We've only had James for one round this year but Craig's been real solid for us so to not be able to call him, or either of them really, for the final is a blow."
Kiwi and Hamilton are unbeaten in foursomes for Omanu in both years back in the top flight but Kiwi, without showing too many cards, said they had options. He favoured bringing someone in to fill the No2 vacancy, leaving the middle and lower order untouched.
"The guys down the order (Mark Clifford, Ron Sisson, Adam Grierson, Justin Rasmussen and Jobey Hudson) are the ones who've been doing the job for us every week.
"One option's obviously to move everyone up a spot and bring someone new in at No8, but if it was up to me I'd leave the other guys where they're playing best and find someone to fill Craig's shoes."
Reigning champions Rotorua finished a disappointing campaign with a 9-3 win over Omokoroa, while Springfield beat Otumoetai 4-0.
Taupo have a few weeks to wait before knowing whether they'll have to play to stay in the top tier. Te Puke, Omanu, Tauranga and Kawerau play the senior A semifinals at Mt Maunganui on May 22, with only a Te Puke or Kawerau win in the final forcing a promotion/relegation playoff.
Omanu can now sit back and plot their next move for the final, which Kiwi has tipped the way of Tauranga.
"They're pretty strong in their top four or five players and beat us, so I'd say they'll get the job done (against Mount in the semifinal)."
As to whether home course advantage counts for much come the winner-take-all championship fight, Kiwi has a simple answer. "Everyone's pretty comfortable playing on anyone's track. But we've earned it, we all play our own course every week and we'll take it."