Anaru Reedy won both his matches as his Tairāwhiti team enjoyed possibly their best-ever start to a Freyberg Masters men's interprovincial golf tournament. Photo / Paul Rickard
Anaru Reedy won both his matches as his Tairāwhiti team enjoyed possibly their best-ever start to a Freyberg Masters men's interprovincial golf tournament. Photo / Paul Rickard
Tairawhiti scored just half a team point in finishing last at the 2024 Freyberg Masters men’s interprovincial golf tournament.
On day 1 of the 2025 edition, they tripled that.
New Zealand’s 15th-ranked province had a Monday to remember at the Omaha Beach Golf Club – possibly their best day everin the near-40-year history of the over-40s matchplay event.
They defeated Southland 3-2 in round 1, then halved with Hawke’s Bay 2½-all to be sitting third on 1½ team points and 5½ individual wins.
No team had a perfect record after the opening two rounds.
Tairāwhiti are being represented this year by Jace Brown (of Patutahi Golf Club), Anaru Reedy (Electrinet Park), Auckland-based David Solomann (Waikohu/Whitford Park), who grew up in Gisborne, Waka Donnelly (Poverty Bay) and Tauranga-based Richard Apanui (Omokoroa), who originates from Te Araroa.
Reedy continued on from where he left off in 2024 in Tairāwhiti’s nail-biting win over Southland.
Playing at the same No 2 position in which he clocked up six victories from eight matches last year, Reedy beat Simon Hollyer 1-up.
David Solomann played his part with a victory as Tairāwhiti defeated Southland 3-2 in round 1 of the Freyberg Masters interprovincial tournament at Omaha Beach, Auckland, on Monday.
Solomann, at No 3, put Tairāwhiti on the board with a6 and 5 thrashing of Craig Escott.
No 4 Donnelly, making his Tairāwhiti masters debut, beat Brad Harper 2 and 1.
Brown, in the hot seat at the top of the order, lost 1-down to Bryan Cantley while No 5 Apanui was beaten 6 and 5 by Ngarimu Paraki.
Reedy and Donnelly carried their winning form into the round 2 clash with Hawke’s Bay.
Reedy won 3 and 1 over Blair Shaw while Donnelly defeated Peter Saunders 4 and 3. Apanui halved with Steffan Hepburn.
Brown lost 4 and 3 to Jared Mcgillicuddy and Solomann was beaten 7 and 5 by Blair Shaw.
It put Tairāwhiti in unfamiliar territory near the top of the table. The only provinces ahead of them were Bay of Plenty (1½ team points, 7½ individual wins) and Wellington (1½, 6½).
Defending champions Auckland had a bye in round 1, then beat Tasman 4-1 in round 2.
Tairāwhiti faced Taranaki in round 3 on Tuesday morning, followed by Wellington in the afternoon.
They play Bay of Plenty in the only round on Wednesday, Waikato and North Harbour on Thursday, and Tasman in their final round on Friday afternoon.
Tairāwhiti were beaten 3½-1½ by Taranaki in round 3 of the Freyberg Masters interprovincial golf tournament on Tuesday morning. Team No. 2 Anaru Reedy racked up his third consecutive victory, beating Caleb Andreoli 4 and 3, while No 5 Richard Apanui halved with Phil Hooper. No 1 Jace Brown lost 4 and 3 to Andrew Searle, No 3 David Solomann lost 4 and 3 to Brian Martelletti and No 4 Waka Donnelly lost 2 and 1 to Matthew Stachurski. The team defeat dropped Tairāwhiti from third to seventh overall. They faced Wellington in round 4 of the over-40s matchplay tournament being held on Auckland’s Omaha Beach course.
