Ended as she started

SHOT OF HER TOURNAMENT: Tessa McDonald reacts after chipping in on the 18th for eagle to win her opening match of the women’s national interprovincial tournament at Christchurch’s Waitikiri course. McDonald was No.1 for the Hawke’s Bay-Poverty Bay team who beat Waikato in a playoff for ninth. Picture by NZ Golf

?Gisborne's Tessa McDonald finished the national women’s interprovincial golf tournament in Christchurch as she started it — victoriously.

McDonald, at No.1 in the Hawke’s Bay-Poverty Bay team, racked up her fourth win in seven matches as HBPB beat Waikato in the playoff for ninth on the Waitikiri course on Saturday.

McDonald beat Zahraa Bester 3 and 2, while HBPB No.4 Samantha Carroll and No.5 Fiona Ellis won their matches 5 and 4, and 7 and 6 respectively.

No.2 Janie Field and No.3 Haena Seol halved their playoff matches.

McDonald was in charge from the start, going through the turn 3-up and maintaining her advantage.

She can look back on her week with plenty of satisfaction.

Her wins came against Northland, Tasman, Aorangi and Waikato.

Two of her losses were to Auckland’s Carmen Lim and North Harbour’s Sylvia Brunotti.

Auckland went on to win the title, with Lim one of the stars of the tournament, while Harbour were eliminated in the semifinals.

McDonald’s other defeat was to Otago’s Laura Hoskin, who won six of her seven matches.