PETER Kerekere provided the sole highlight as Poverty Bay-East Coast opened their Toro national men's golf interprovincial account with a loss this morning.
PBEC fell 4½-½ to Canterbury in round 1 of the teams' matchplay tournament on Invercargill's Otatara course.
Kerekere, playing at No.3 in the five-man team, squared hismatch with Oscar Cadenhead.
The southerners claimed the other four matches. No.1 Nathaniel Cassidy lost 2-down to Jordan Bakersman, No.2 William Brown 4 and 2 to Daniel Laughton, No.4 Tony Akroyd 4 and 3 to Jake Hallinan and No.5 Andrew Higham 3 and 2 to Andrew Green.
Other first-round winners were Auckland 3-2 over Tasman, North Harbour 3-2 over Bay of Plenty, Southland 3-2 over Aorangi, Hawke's Bay 3½-1½ over Taranaki and Northland 3-2 over Wellington.
