PETE Kerekere is known for his tenacity.
Mix that with talent and you have a formidable opponent as Peter Anderson found in the final of the senior men’s club championship on Sunday.
Kerekere added the 2020 crown to his 2016 title with a 6 and 5 win in the 36-hole matchplay final.
Those who followed the battle were in agreement that putting was ultimately the difference between two players who put on an impressive display of ball striking.
Crucial putts fell for Kerekere, said match referee Duncan Bush, while Anderson’s blade was predominantly cold.
The latter led 1-up after nine holes but Kerekere won the 10th with a birdie, the 14th and 16th holes to go into the halfway break with a 2-up lead.
Those familiar with Kerekere know once he’s got his nose in front he will fight like a wounded tiger to remain there.
He won 19 and 21, the pair halved the 22nd with birdies, Kerekere birdied the 23rd to win it and another win on the 26th put him 6-up.
He went 7-up on the 28th, Anderson sank an 8-foot par putt on the 29th to stay alive but Kerekere looked set to finish it on the 30th only to inexplicably miss a 2½-footer.
It was a rare mistake from Kerekere, who shot 2-under 34 for the opening nine of the second 18.
Victory was delayed by only one hole, with matching pars bringing an end to a convincing Kerekere win.
Kerekere won the Poverty Bay Open the same year as his 2016 senior title.
The rookie truck driver is unable to play in the PB open this year but it is hoped he will tee it up at the New Zealand Amateur on his home course in November.
SURFERS can make damn fine golfers.
Eleven-time world champion Kelly Slater, off a 3-handicap, is proof of that.
But while Larry Foster has a long way to go to reach that level, the keen surfing golfer is basking in the glory of a fairways success akin to one of his more memorable green-room rides.
Foster beat Lee “Pikey” Hewson in the final of the junior men’s club championship on Saturday.
He lost an early hole but quickly pegged it back and from there was never down in a match that went to extra holes after Foster blew the 18th.
Despite that setback, Foster rose to the occasion when it counted as Hewson’s putting stroke, which was devastating in his recent Awapuni Shootout victory, deserted him.
Hewson three-putted the par-3 20th for a bogey-4. Foster, who missed the green with his tee shot, chipped to about 8-feet, then sank the putt for par and the win.
Foster now has his sights on lowering his handicap and perhaps giving the intermediate division a shot next year.
Phil Wauchop and Don McFadyen will meet in the endeavour final.
P Wanklyn 74.
J Newman 84.
Leigh Fletcher def Sue Kemp, Marg Williams def Rosie Willock, Pip Dymock def Jenny Williams.
Rosie Spence def L Fletcher, Vonnie Fletcher def Marg Lane, Ann Ward def Marg Williams, Dymock def Teresa Lewis.
Spence v V Fletcher, Ward v Dymock.
Debbie Kirkpatrick def Faye Allen, Kirsty Shaw def Colleen Skuse, Sally Spence def Peri Gayford.
Kirkpatrick def Birgitt Whyte (by default), Viv Bell def Jan Steele, Mary Allan def Shaw, Spence def June MacKinnon.
Kirkpatrick v Bell, Allan v Spence.
Marg Colebourne def Christine McDonald, Jenny Alderson def Sue Ellwood, Judy Ngarimu def Bev Dickson, Sandy Armstrong def Rob Dymock.
Colebourne def Alderson, Armstrong def Ngarimu.
Colebourne v Armstrong.
Tessa McDonald v Miggles Shanks, Jan Utting v Gay Young.
P Wanklyn 75.
A White 38, M Jefferson 36, S Andreassen 35, T Donovan 35.
P Grogan 39, G Hawea 36, J Holmes 36, K White 35.
M Jefferson, T Donovan.
M Norman.
G Clapham 37, P Clayton 36, S. Andreassen 36.
B Simpson 38, D Wright 35, C Simpson 34, S Harbottle 34, S Francks 34.
G Morley, T Goldsmith.
G Clapham.
C Poole 37, M Higham 36, J van Helden 36, A White 35, P Butler 35, M Dodgshun 35.
S Harbottle 39, B Hall 38, M Smith 37, J Pittar 36, B Simpson 35.
J Devery, T Goldsmith, R Owen, H Brown, W Brown.
W Brown.
THE first of the men’s club champions were decided on Sunday.
Peter Stevenson defeated Zac Horomia in the Junior B matchplay final.
Finalists have been sorted in the intermediate and junior sections.
Rongo Pomana and Mark Watts will battle it out for the intermediate crown while Jeremy Murphy and Dan Maitai contest the junior final.
The senior division is at the semifinals stage.
Neil Hansen faces Taine Lincoln in one semi. Bruce Yates and Tere Lincoln are in the other.
Stevenson capped his successful Sunday by winning the stableford with 39 points.
P Stevenson 39, D Maitai 38, Taine Lincoln 37, T Sharp 37, M Watts 37.
Taine Lincoln, S Cranswick.
PERCY Milner remains the intermediate club champion after an emphatic title defence on Sunday.
In a near-repeat of last year, Milner powered to a 9 and 8 win in the 36-hole matchplay final.
The junior champion will be sorted out this Sunday, with Ike Ruru and Uma Chambers squaring off in the final.
T Brown/K Tamanui/T Smith 94, I Ruru/E Wynyard/A Tamanui-Nunn 87.
Audrey Tamanui-Nunn
P Milner def L Green.
K Tamanui square, P Milner -1, U Chambers -2
M Tuapawa sq, Ella Wynyard -3.
DAVE Harrison, Ray Walford and Anaru Reedy grabbed the No.1 seedings in qualifying for the men’s club championships over the weekend.
Harrison’s gross 87 was the best of the 13-strong junior field, with Glyn Williams second on 88 and Neal Jones third on 91.
These three advanced directly to the quarterfinals while the others will battle it out in round 1 matches this Sunday.
Walford and Ben Cameron posted 83s to be the best of the 14 intermediate qualifiers. Walford got the top spot on countback although both moved straight to the quarters.
Anaru Reedy was shaking his head in disappointment after his 79 but it was still good enough to head the nine senior players.
Brad Reynolds was a shot back on countback from Rod Moore.
The top seven moved into the quarters, leaving Pete Stewart and Tom Teneti to decide the eighth spot and the prospect of playing Reedy.
P Wellard 70, C Nepe 71, R Moore 71.
C Nepe.
M Marino.
D Harrison 71, N Jones 73.
B Walker 32.
C Brown 37, P Nepia 36, N Jones 35, P Simpson 35, P Hogan 33, B Cameron 33, E Parkin 33, R McGann 32.
P Stewart v T Teneti, P Hogan v G McKinnon. C Nepe v P Nepia, S Toa v S Phillips. Z Rolls v J Charles, D Boyle v C Palmer. A Pahina v P Welland, C Uili v S Rolls. R Grace v M Emery, D Rameka v P Tamatea. R McGann v B Cox, A Williams v T Leggett.
KYLIE Johnson and Tammy Steele made no race of their women’s club championship 27-hole finals on Saturday.
Johnson defeated Casey Maddock 9 and 8 while Steele beat Maria Johnson 10 and 9.
T Sherratt 39, S Butt 35 on countback from M Steele.
S.Butt.
S. Butt.
S. Butt.
S Butt def B Law.
DON McFadyen won the Gisborne East Coast Veteran Golfers’ Society’s day at Poverty Bay on Tuesday. McFadyen posted 41 stableford points
D McFadyen 41, S Andreassen 39, R Murphy 38, J Atchison 38, C Christie 38.
D McFadyen.
IT’S down to the last four in most divisions of the Patutahi club championships.
In the big boys’ section, Shayde Skudder threw four birdies and a senior net competition-winning 1-under 69 to dismiss Tony Akroyd on Sunday.
He next faces top qualifier Dwayne Russell, who had a bye into this weekend’s semis but warmed up with a 2-under 70.
The other semi pits Chris Beattie — who knocked out Jace Brown 2 and 1 — against defending champion Hukanui, who eliminated older brother Eddie 3 and 1.
Denise Johnston awaits the winner of the semifinal between Jandy Winiata and Helen Pomana in the senior women’s section.
Rocky Pardoe v Selwyn Pohatu, Jonathon Priestley v Tony Green.
Mike de Luze v Andy Nimmo, Garth Tattersfield v Jamie Brodie.
Sai Eder v Simon Pittar, Ian Tietjen v Mike Broad.
Andrea Haisman v Kath McLatchie, Jan Ewart v Anihera Stills-Hindmarsh.
Shayde Skudder 69, C Beattie 71, T Green 71, D Russell 72, P Molloy 72.
S Eder 64, J Neilson 65, M de Luze 66, A Nimmo 69, M Stock 70.
D Johnston 75, S Robertson 77.
A Hindmarsh 21, G Brown 18, T Green 18, J Neilson 18, P Johnston 18.
D Skudder 19, M de Luze 19, M Owen 18, D Dodgshun 18, C Kirkpatrick 17.
Selwyn Pohatu, D Russell, J Brown, M Stock.
E Brown jr, D Russell.
Selwyn Pohatu.