Golf Roundup

2023 is the Year of the Water Rabbit in Chinese culture.

But for one Poverty Bay golfer it could be the Year of the Lizard.

And why not after Gray Clapham’s best round in the 110 he has played in 2022 and lowest score in nearly 26 months.

The man affectionately known as “Lizards” to some and “Gray-zy” to others fired 81-17-64, for 44 points, to win the division 2 stableford last Thursday.

Other competition division winners over the week were Mark Higham (39pts), Brian Read, whose 97-29-68 for 40 equalled his best round of the year (played on January 4) and Mike Callaghan (39).

SATURDAY — Men’s stableford, division 1: M Callaghan 39, C Mackay 38, A Kirkpatrick 34.

Division 2: B Read 40, C Simpson 38, D Wright 36.

Twos: D Sharp, V Richardson, D Gray, C Mackay.

Approach: D Sharp.

Thursday (Dec 22) — Men’s stableford, division 1: M Higham 39, A White 39, G Brown 36

Division 2: G Clapham 44, S Willock 40, B Read 37.

Twos: S Willock, V Richardson, M Higham

Approach: J Bryden.

Cecil Brown and Jandy Winiata Beattie led the way in the all-in net on Christmas Eve.

Brown’s 87-21-66 headed off Winiata Beattie’s year-low 83-17-66 on countback.

Third-placed Hukanui Brown had five birdies in his third-placed 4-under 66-+1-67.

SATURDAY — All-in net: C Brown 66, J Winiata Beattie 66, H Brown 67, B McKenzie 68.

Twos: T Akroyd 2, H Brown, J Brown (eagle on 10).

FRIDAY — Meat pack 9-hole stableford, senior division: T Green 20, J Brown 19, M Smith 19, M de Luze 19, G Middlemiss 19.

Junior division: D Quinn 21, D Maloy 21, D Dodgshun 19, C Kirkpatrick 18, D Williams 18.

■ Golf Roundup wishes all Poverty Bay-East Coast golfers a safe and birdie-filled 2023. And we’ll leave the last words to legendary golfer Kathy Whitworth — who won more professional titles (98 LPGA Tour victories) than Tiger Woods and Sam Snead (82) — who died last week . . . “Winning never got old.”