Placegetters in the Gisborne Golf Croquet Open Premier Singles were (from left) winner Joe Hogan (Barry Memorial Croquet Club), runner-up Ashley Cooke (Mt Maunganui) and third placegetter John Wilson (Barry Memorial Croquet Club).
Placegetters in the Gisborne Golf Croquet Open Premier Singles were (from left) winner Joe Hogan (Barry Memorial Croquet Club), runner-up Ashley Cooke (Mt Maunganui) and third placegetter John Wilson (Barry Memorial Croquet Club).
Former world singles croquet champion Joe Hogan showed he still swings a mean mallet when he won Barry Memorial Croquet Club’s inaugural Gisborne Golf Croquet Open Premier Singles.
But top seed Hogan, of Barry Memorial, did not have it all his own way.
Ashley Cooke and her fatherKeith Cooke, both of Mount Maunganui, each beat Hogan 7-6. Eventual runner-up Ashley Cooke was herself beaten by her dad, 7-1, and by Barry Memorial’s Per Elzen, 7-6.
Hogan’s seven wins were enough to win him the tournament, and Ashley Cooke was runner-up with six wins and a +13 differential. Barry Memorial’s John Wilson was third, with six wins and a +7 differential. Elzen did well, winning five games, all against players of lower handicap.
Players from Kaitaia, Morrinsville, Mount Maunganui and Tauranga joined the local croquet community in getting the Ryman Healthcare-sponsored tournament off to a good start.
Tournament manager Ross Thomson said the club planned to hold the tournament annually.
A golf croquet singles tournament for those with handicaps of six or more was scheduled for two days before the open, but was called off because of wet weather.
A full field of 16 players had included players from Whakatāne and Napier.
