It was the second Te K Cup crown for the Christophers/Henwood combo, although they were on much higher handicaps in their 2021 victory – 18 and 17 respectively.
On Sunday, Henwood, off a 2, was giving the shots. Craig Christophers was on 7, Mike Christophers 10 and Downie 18.
Craig Christophers started their charge when he chipped in for birdie-2 on the second hole and Henwood followed suit on the par-3 seventh.
Mike Christophers and Downie won a couple of holes in the front nine, but when Henwood made another birdie on the ninth, it put them 3-up.
They won the 10th, where Craig Christophers got a shot, and the 12th, and their day was summed up when Henwood nearly chipped in for eagle-3 on the 13th, his ball finishing on the edge of the hole.
The champions soaked up the glory on the 19th but that brotherhood will turn to rivalry in the upcoming club championships.
Qualifying is on August 23 and 24, and the first round of matchplay is scheduled for September 7.
Two subsidiary men’s pairs finals were also held on Sunday.
In the absence of partner Tane McGuire, Adrian Wyrill did an admirable job of taking 2024 Te K Cup champions Heath Tupara and Michael Bond all the way to the 17th in the Turanganui Cup final.
James Witika and Steve Phillips beat Tim Beattie and Junior Akurangi on the 15th to win the Fletcher Cup.
Poverty Bay
A good mate has coined a two-word phrase to describe Hayden Keast in form ... “Keast Mode”.
And from the first hole last Saturday, “Keast Mode” was at full force as he set a warm pace on a chilly winter’s day in round one of the Dodgshun Cup men’s gross series.
Keast unhooded his 5-wood and cracked his ball pin-high for a two on the par-5 first hole, then sank a 6m putt for an eagle-3.
He went on to shoot an even-par 72 (35-37) – agonisingly, just one shot off going sub-par at Awapuni Links for the first time – and topping the senior division of the four-round series in which players count their best three scores.
Simon Jeune was four strokes behind on 76, with Marcus Gray and Poverty Bay/Electrinet Park dual member Matt Henwood on 77.
Mike Lewin had what appears to be his best round off the championship blue tees – 82 (off a 16 handicap) – to lead Division 2 by four shots from Brian Anderson.
Gray Clapham’s 95 heads Division 3.
Round two is on August 2, round three (which doubles as men’s club championship qualifying) is on August 9 and round four is on August 10.
Brad Morgan wishes he had produced Sunday’s round a week earlier.
Bouncing back from defeat in the Barns-Graham Cup men’s pairs final the previous weekend, Morgan won the Division 1 men’s Stableford on Sunday with 77-11-66, for 42 points.
Brent Croskery edged closer to his first sub-century last Thursday as he dominated the Division 2 men’s Stableford with 101-37-64, for 44 points.
Willy Mortleman had four birdies, including a two, in his Division 1-winning 75-8-67, for 41.
Poverty Bay Golf Club is to pay tribute to outgoing director of golf Dave Keown with a tournament on Sunday, August 24.
The event has been called “Release the Roughy” and will be held under “Orange Alert” conditions – that is, players are encouraged to “celebrate the orange side of life” in reference to what used to be the colour of professional Keown’s hair.
Entries are being taken at the pro shop. More info is on the Awapuni Links Facebook page.
TUESDAY – Veterans’ Stableford: M. Garewal 39, G. Marchbank 38, C. Dean 35, P. Rickard 34.
SUNDAY – Men’s Stableford, Division 1: B. Morgan 42, W. Mortleman 39, B. Anderson 36.
Division 2: M. Garewal 38, B. Marshall 36, R. Gibson 36.
Twos: P. Anderson, A. Meban.
Approach: A. Meban.
SATURDAY – Dodgshun Cup men’s gross series, round one, twos: S. Francks, T. Goldsmith, C. Palmer, M. Christophers.
Approach: M. Christophers.
THURSDAY (July 17) – Men’s Stableford, Division 1: W. Mortleman 41, J. Rowe 39, A. Abrahams 39, S. Harbottle 37.
Division 2: B. Croskery 44, M. Lewin 37, G. Clapham 36.
Twos: S. Jeune 2, W. Mortleman.
Jackpot: S. Jeune.
Approach: S. Jeune.
WEDNESDAY (July 16) – Women’s 27-hole silver/bronze tournament, silver gross (AB&J Cup): L. Holmberg 133.
Silver net: R. Taewa 114.
Silver Stableford: G. Young 48.
Bronze gross (Meg Harper Cup): M. Allan 148.
Bronze net: V. Bell 119 on c/b.
Bronze Stableford: S. Spence 48.
Patutahi
Wednesday golf at the ’Tahi has been described as “a comedy fest” to the extent it has been suggested a “$2 fine system” be implemented.
A player, who signed off as “Bru”, posted on the Patutahi Golf Club Facebook page about “the antics” in round three of qualifying for the latest Wednesday shootout.
It was “observed” that at least four players teed off from the ladies’ tee on the fifth hole, two hit the wrong ball and one was later seen buying a round of whiskeys (although there was no confirmation if this was air-shot-inspired).
In a reply to hitting from the wrong tee, club president Tony Green reported that “the fifth player, who will remain nameless, that discovered the error hit his ball OB so [that was] five extra tee shots”.
On the serious golf side, global shearer Greg Hawea won the men’s Division 1 Stableford on Sunday with 79-13-66 – a decent effort on a heavy course.
Patutahi was closed on Friday due to the rain and reopened at noon on Saturday.
SUNDAY – Men’s Stableford, Division 1: G. Hawea 40, S. Pohatu 37, P. Hokianga 36, J. Brown 36.
Division 2: M. Forrest 36.
Women’s Stableford: C. Holland 30.
COMING UP: Club championships, qualifying on August 3 and 10, matchplay from August 17, finals on September 7; SUNDAY, Sept 14, Ruka Tupara Memorial Tournament, Canadian mixed pairs; SATURDAY, Sept 20, open closing day, men’s and Canadian mixed pairs sections.
Waikohu
Terry Reeves became a Marvel superhero on Sunday ... Iron Man.
Reeves won the men’s section of the all-irons Stableford with a 2-over 72-3-69, for 37 points.
Andrea Reeves’ 33 won the women’s division ... and, yes, there is an Iron Woman.
SUNDAY – All-irons Stableford, men: T. Reeves 37, R. Reeves 35, S. Ritchie 33, K. Tamanui 33.
Women: Andrea Reeves 33, E. Wynyard 31, V. Grace 27, T. Rutene 27.
Twos: T. Reeves, Andrea Reeves, E. Wynyard
COMING UP: SUNDAY, players’ choice competition; meeting (check Facebook page for confirmation).
Tolaga Bay
Dan Maitai topped a trio of 68s as the Tolaga Bay boys warmed up for the first of Tairāwhiti’s “majors” on Sunday.
All roads lead to Ūawa this weekend for the 55th King of the Coast men’s open, with all 64 spots filled for the matchplay tournament.
Maitai’s putter was hot as he won the medal last Sunday with 84-16-68, heading off Murray Yates and Gary McLean on countback.
SUNDAY – Medal: D. Maitai 68, M. Yates 68, G. McLean 68, Z. Horomia 69.
Approach: R. Paora.
Putting: B. Yates 24, D. Maitai 24.
Twos: T. Adamson, R. Paora.
