Gisborne Park boys step up after pennants golf whitewash

Hayden Keast has been leading by example as co-captain of the Poverty Bay team in the 2025 Tairāwhiti men's interclub pennants series. He has won all four of his matches so far. Photo / Paul Rickard

An unlikely hero emerged as Gisborne Park’s No 2 team heeded the words of their absent captain in the latest rounds of the Tairāwhiti men’s interclub pennants last Saturday.

Craig Christophers, chasing moose and the dimpled ball on holiday in Canada, predicted his Electrinet Park (2) boys would have an individual win apiece over rounds 3 and 4 hosted by Patutahi.

He wasn’t far off. After a morning 8-0 matchplay whitewashing from Park (1), the No 2s rallied to roll Te Puia Hot Springs in what was arguably the upset of the series so far.

The Park boys would contest that claim. They were there to win and did that 5-3 over a Springs team eyeing a top-four semifinal berth.

Park No 4 Anthony Pahina stepped up when it counted most. He stuck his second shot on the final hole - the par-4 fifth - to less than a metre from the hole against Thomas Donovan and slotted the birdie putt for a 1-up win.

Donovan went into that clash with a three-from-three success rate.

Park No 1 Matt Henwood beat Wade Wesche 4 and 3 and No 5 Sel Peneha halved with John Wyllie.

The Springs had gone into the round on the back of an 8-0 disposal of Patutahi (2).

Despite that setback, the Springs are on track for a top-four qualifying spot as the Patutahi rounds resulted in a clear division between the leading four and the rest.

Reigning champions Patutahi (1) reaped the benefits of a late venue change from Waikohu, racking up 13 points to lift their table-topping tally to 27.

Park (1) went one better with a 14-point haul, boosted by their 8-0 derby triumph, which has them on 24.

Poverty Bay, after sharing the spoils 4-all with Waikohu then beating Tolaga Bay 6-2, have 21, as do the Springs.

Waikohu are nine points adrift in fifth, meaning decent points hauls are needed over the remaining rounds before the teams advance to top-four/bottom four playoffs.

Alex Downey made the perfect pennants debut for Poverty Bay with a 2 and 1 afternoon win over Tolaga Bay’s BJ Sidney.

Tolaga Bay captain Taine Lincoln birdied two of the last three holes to snatch a round 3 half with Patutahi (1)’s Dwayne Russell and save his team from a donut.

Four players ended the day with four-from-four 100% win rates for the series so far: Eddie Brown Jnr (Patutahi 1); Hayden Keast (Poverty Bay); Jason Devery (Te Puia); and Glenn Solomann (Waikohu), who beat Patutahi senior club champion Hukanui Brown 2 and 1 on his home track.

Results, round 3

Patutahi (1) 7 Tolaga Bay 1 (Patutahi names first): Hukanui Brown def Bruce Yates 4 and 3; Dwayne Russell halved with Taine Lincoln; Shayde Skudder def Tim Adamson 2 and 1; Eddie Brown Jnr def William Aupouri 6 and 5.

Poverty Bay 4 Waikohu 4: Zach Rolls lost to Glenn Solomann 5 and 4; Pete Anderson lost to David Solomann 3 and 2; Hayden Keast def Terry Reeves 7 and 6; Reece Witters def Mike Christophers 2 and 1.

Electrinet Park (1) 8 Park (2) 0: Dan Collier def Matt Henwood 2 and 1; Anaru Reedy def Sel Peneha 7 and 5; Peter Stewart def Anthony Pahina 5 and 4; Brad Reynolds def Bailey Matoe 3 and 1.

Te Puia Hot Springs 8 Patutahi (2) 0: Wade Wesche def Jace Brown 1-up; Jason Devery def Neil Hansen 2 and 1; Thomas Donovan def Regan Hindmarsh 2 and 1; John Wyllie def Lyall Anania 4 and 3.

Results, round 4

Patutahi (1) 6 Waikohu 2: Hukanui Brown lost to Glenn Solomann 2 and 1; Dwayne Russell def David Solomann 2-up; Shayde Skudder def Terry Reeves 2-up; Eddie Brown Jnr def Richard Reeves 6 and 4.

Poverty Bay 6 Tolaga Bay 2: Zach Rolls lost to Bruce Yates 5 and 4; Peter Anderson def Taine Lincoln 2 and 1; Hayden Keast def Tim Adamson 5 and 3; Alex Downey def BJ Sidney 2 and 1.

Park (1) 6 Patutahi (2) 2: Dan Collier def Jace Brown 1-up; Anaru Reedy def Neil Hansen 2-up; Peter Stewart lost to Regan Hindmarsh 1-down; Brad Reynolds def Lyall Anania 1-up.

Te Puia Hot Springs 3 Park (2) 5: Wade Wesche lost to Matt Henwood 4 and 3; Jason Devery def Bailey Matoe 1-up; Thomas Donovan lost to Anthony Pahina 1-down; John Wyllie halved with Sel Peneha.

Standings: Patutahi (1) 27 points, Park (1) 24, Poverty Bay 21, Te Puia Hot Springs 21, Waikohu 12, Tolaga Bay 9, Park (2) 8, Patutahi (2) 6.