Waikohu Golf Club lost a quiet achiever whose actions spoke with far greater volume than his words with the passing of Tama Brown late December.
Keith Marshall has started 2026 with a feat that has eluded him since April 27, 2024 ... a sub-80.
And in shooting 79-14-65 on Saturday, he put himself right in the hunt for Summer Cup series glory.
Marshall won Division 1 of the men’s Stableford with a 43-point haul and added that net 65 to a 76 in the two rounds he has played in the five-round Summer Cup series.
Saturday was Round 4. Players count their three best net scores over the series, which ends this Saturday.
Colin Simpson, the only entrant to have played in all four rounds so far, is leading the standings on 213 (70/74/69) – four shots ahead of Mark Jefferson (75/67/75).
But there are multiple players who could snatch the title if they compete in round 5. Richard Foon has two 69s to his name while Marshall, who also won the div 1 men’s Stableford on Sunday, Matt Henwood, Vance Richardson, Kim Gunness and Mike Callaghan are all lurking.
Henwood shot a 1-under 71-2-69 on Saturday, including five birdies.
Willie Mortleman achieved the rare feat of nine consecutive fours on the front nine holes in his 38-point effort on Saturday.
TUESDAY - Veteran men’s Stableford: K. Gunnesss 41, A Putnam 38, T. Loomis 38, J. Holmes 37, R. Farmer 7.
Twos: V. Richardson, L. Foster, P. Rickard.
SUNDAY - Men’s Stableford, Division 1: K. Marshall 38, C. Carmody 38, D. Pirimona 38, M. Norman 37, A. White 36.
Division 2: A. Putnam 38, L. Hewson 36, M. Karalus 36.
Twos: W. Donnelly, C. Palmer.
Nearest to pin: M. McMenamin.
SATURDAY - Men’s Stableford, Division 1: K. Marshall 43, M. Henwood 39, C. Taewa 38, W. Mortleman 38, R. Clark 37.
Division 2: B. Croskery 40, J. Kerekere 36.
Twos: W. Donnelly, C. Palmer.
Nearest to pin: C. Palmer.
THURSDAY (Jan 8) - Men’s Stableford. Division 1: W. Mortleman 38, B. Anderson 37, A. Kirkpatrick 37, A. Abrahams 36.
Division 2: G. Clapham 39, J. Williams 37, D. Mettrick 33, D. Bush 32.
Twos: C. Dean, P. Humphreys, C. Poole, A. White, J. Pittar, N. Mackie, A. Kirkpatrick.
Nearest to pin: J. Rowe.
COMING UP: FRIDAY, 9-hole ambrose fundraiser for Gisborne Boardriders Club Junior Surf Development, teams of four, 3pm tee-off, enter at www.eventspronto.co.nz/golf; MONDAY, January 26, mixed pairs 18-hole tournament, four-ball best-ball net for DJ Barry Jug (best net) and Toogood Jug (best Stableford), two-tee start from 11am, barbecue and prizegiving to follow, enter at pro shop.
Patutahi’s No 1 golfer Hukanui Brown will not add his name to previous Tairāwhiti winners of the senior men’s matchplay crown at the New Zealand Māori golf championships.
Brown qualified 11th for the top 16 at the Bay of Islands course in Kerikeri this week, but fell in the first round of matchplay.
He struggled with the putter in qualifying, carding rounds of 84, 81 on the par-73 course.
The three-putt blues continued in the first round of matchplay and Brown found himself several holes down early on to Bay of Plenty’s Marcus Lloyd, but fought back before losing on the 18th.
The ’Tahi has several members competing in the senior division of the champs. Teenager Watene Brown qualified seventh in the fourth 16, Dom Wilson qualified in the last eight while Charlie Holland (6th), Kennedy Sarich (7th) and Kim Torrez (8th) qualified for the third 16 of the women’s competition.
SUNDAY - Women’s net: D. Johnston 71.
Senior men’s net: L. Anania 66, J. Priestley 66, D. Williams 67, D. Kahukoti 68, T. Brodie 69.
Junior men’s net: C. Harris 63, J. Phillips 68, G. Holland 68, M. Smith 69, K. Dodgshun 71.
Twos: S. Robertson, L. Anania, P. Johnston, J. Brown, M. Gray.
FRIDAY - Meat pack 9-hole Stableford, Division 1: T. Green 21, D. Johnston 21, J. Brown 19, S. Pohatu 19, P. Molloy 19, D. Dodgshun 19 on c/b.
Division 2: K. Dodgshun 21, C. Kirkpatrick 21, H. Humble 19, S. Fookes 19 on c/b.
SUNDAY (Jan 4) - Plus/minus Stableford, men’s division: T. Smith 8; R. Reeves 6; P. Milner 5.
Women’s division: A. Reeves 5; A. Tamanui-Nunn 4.
Twos: A. Reeves.
COMING UP: SUNDAY, Summer Cup round 2; SUNDAY, Jan 25, Summer Cup round 3.
Wiremu Aupouri and Joe Sheridan have got off to winning starts in the new golfing year.
Aupouri shot 71-3-68, for 36 points, to win the Stableford on Sunday.
Sheridan’s 38 points, including a two, won the first Stableford competition of the year on January 4.
SUNDAY - Stableford: W. Aupouri 36, D. Maitai 35.
Approach: BJ Sidney.
SUNDAY (Jan 4) - Stableford: J. Sheridan 38, M. Watts 37, T. Adamson 35.
Approaches: M. Watts, W. Aupouri.
Twos: J. Sheridan.
COMING UP: SATURDAY, Whakakī Marae Golf Tournament, men’s, women’s and non-golfers’ sections, early morning or midday start times, entry fee includes meals, enter at forms.gle/XqdKo1qxVXPFSugN8 or email whakakimarae1@gmail.com
COMING UP: SUNDAY, Gisborne Thistle AFC Golf Day, tee times from 7.30am to 9.30am, start sheet up at golf club or contact golf club at (06)8679849 or contact Gisborne Thistle through its Facebook page to book a tee time.
The 2026 Tairāwhiti men’s interclub pennants will be the biggest ever.
Pennants organiser Dwayne Russell has confirmed 11 teams for this year and the potential for a fourth – four more than 2025.
Patutahi, whose No 1 side are the defending champions, have added a third team to their arsenal while Poverty Bay and Tolaga Bay have doubled their title challenge with the addition of second teams.
The potential fourth new side is a Tairāwhiti Development squad Russell is in the process of putting together. If successful, the squad is likely to be a mixture of youth and experience.
The 2026 pennants tees off with rounds 1 and 2 at Tolaga Bay on Saturday, March 21. Rounds 3 and 4 are at Te Puia Hot Springs on April 11, followed by rounds 5 and 6 at Patutahi on April 18, rounds 9 and 10 at Waikohu on May 9, Round 11 and the semifinals at Poverty Bay on May 24 and finals day at Electrinet Park on May 24.
The competing teams and their seedings are - Patutahi (1); Electrinet Park (1); Poverty Bay (1); Waikohu; Patutahi (2); Electrinet Park (2); Tolaga Bay (1); Te Puia Hot Springs; Poverty Bay (2); Tolaga Bay (2); Patutahi (3); Tairawhiti Development.
Players interested in helping with the Development Squad should contact Russell.