News, results from around Gisborne and East Coast golf clubs

Manav Garewal has had four holes in one in his golfing lifetime, although he refers to it as three and a half. Garewal has an ever-so-slight suspicion that his first - at a course in Delhi over 10 years ago - may have had some assistance from a green-side worker looking to be generously tipped. There was no doubting the other three - the second at the same course; the third at Hastings’ Bridge Pa where he was a member for several years before recently returning to Gisborne to live; and the latest at Poverty Bay last weekend. On the coldest day of 2025 in Tairāwhiti, Garewal sank a 3-wood on the 175-metre 11th hole during the men’s club championships qualifying round. He didn’t see it go in and on approaching the green thought his ball had gone through it, so checked behind the green before returning and looking in the hole. He was “thrilled” considering the 11th is the toughest of the three par-3s on the course and conditions were challenging. The euphoria didn’t last long. He made 10 on the par-5 12th and went on to shoot 103, or as someone later summed it up ... “one and a ton”.

Poverty Bay

A new name will be engraved on the Dodgshun Cup ... and this one has a deep well of potential to follow, maybe even surpass, the success paths of those already on it.

Gisborne Boys’ High student Marcus Gray survived what became a three-man stand-off to win Division 1 of the gross series, which had a dramatic hole-by-hole conclusion on Sunday.

In scenes emulating the famous triple gunfight in the Clint Eastwood classic The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, Gray shot 3-over 75 on the second-coldest day of the year to win the title by one shot from Matt Henwood, with Hayden Keast another stroke back.

The Dodgshun is a four-round series in which players in three divisions count their best three scores. The last two rounds were played over the weekend - the Saturday round doubling as qualifying for the men’s club championships.

Keast earned the senior division No 1 seeding for the champs on countback after four players posted 77. An excellent back nine of 2-under 34, considering the testing southerly conditions and bitter cold, separated Keast from the rest.

Waka Donnelly (77) qualified second, Craig Palmer (77) third and Tony Akroyd (77) fourth. Gray was fifth with 78 and Reece Witters’ 79 was the only other score under 80.

Heading into the final round of the Dodgshun Cup on Sunday, Gray, Henwood and Keast were all in with a shot of title glory, and the three played together.

Disastrous 13th and 14th holes on Saturday saw Henwood stagger to a back nine of 47 (he started on the 10th), but come home admirably with 1-under 35 for 82.

With his other counting scores of 73 and 77, he needed a better effort on Sunday to have a chance of Dodgshun Cup victory while Keast, after a brilliant first round of 72 , had to count his Saturday (77) and Sunday rounds as he did not play in round 2.

Gray was more comfortably positioned with his three rounds of 77, 75, 78, but the door was definitely ajar for the others.

Henwood had the situation mapped out from the start of round 4. He discarded Gray’s 78 and marked at the top of his card all three players’ best two-round totals. So teeing off the first hole, he was 6-over, Keast 5-over and Gray 8-over.

By the halfway mark, Gray had reduced that to 7-over, courtesy of a 35 that featured birdies on the first, fourth and fifth holes, while Henwood (38) was 8-over and Keast (38) 7-over.

After Henwood birdied 15, only one shot separated all three - Henwood and Keast 11-over, Gray 10-over.

The 16th proved pivotal. Gray “dripped in” a birdie putt while Keast made double bogey.

Gray and Henwood bogeyed 17, giving the youngster breathing space on the 18th, which he bogeyed to the others’ pars.

When the gunsmoke cleared, Gray was on 227 (shooting 75 in the final round), Henwood 228 (78) and Keast 229 (80).

Division 2 was even closer. Neil Mackie (256 - 89, 81, 86) won on countback from Mike Lewin (82, 83, 91).

Bill Simpson won Division 3 with 294.

Qualifying scores for the intermediate division of the club champs reflected the conditions and a tough track.

Vance Richardson finished top on 88 on countback from Stephen Francks and Dave Jenkins. Defending champion Tene Goldsmith struggled to 96 and 15th.

Cliff Poole’s 93 earned him No. 1 seeding in the juniors while reigning champ Simpson battled his way to 100 and the seventh qualifying spot in the 11-man field.

TUESDAY - Veterans’ Stableford: C. Hensley 38, A. Putnam 36, C. Poole 36, M. Garewal 34, K. Goldsmith 34.

Twos: R. Fletcher.

SUNDAY - Men’s Stableford, Division 1: A. Hayward 39, B. Anderson 37.

Division 2: C. Simpson 37, P. Rickard 35.

Twos: M. Callaghan, G. Morley, M. Henwood, L. Hunt.

Approach on 6: M. Norman.

Dodgshun Cup men’s gross series, overall winners (best three of four rounds):

Division 1: Marcus Gray 227 (77, 75, 75) from Matt Henwood 228 (77, 73, 78), Hayden Keast 259 (72, 77, 80).

Division 2: Neil Mackie 256 (89, 81, 86) on c/b from Mike Lewin 256 (82, 83, 91), Brian Anderson 259 (89, 90, 80).

Division 3: Bill Simpson 294 (98, 96, 100) from Neville West 299 (102, 101, 96).

SATURDAY - Men’s club championship qualifying and round 3 of Dodgshun Cup men’s gross series, senior division, top 16 qualifiers: Hayden Keast 77 (on c/b from) Waka Donnelly 77, Craig Palmer 77, Tony Akroyd 77, Marcus Gray 78, Reece Witters 79, Pete Anderson 81, Matt Henwood 82, Alex Meban 84, Stefan Andreassen 84, James Situ 84, Andy Hayward 87, Pat Butler 87, Willy Mortleman 87, Jon Jenner 88, Peter Clayton 88.

Intermediate division: Vance Richardson 88, Stephen Francks 88, Dave Jenkins 88, Peter Hakiwai 89, Mike Lewin 91, Laurie Owen 93, Keith Marshall 92, Alex Kirkpatrick 92, Hamish Evans 92, Jarome Finch 93, Dirk Bullivant 93, Darryl Grant 94, Richard Foon 95, Mike Christophers 95, Tene Goldsmith 96, Dave Pirimona 96.

Junior division: Cliff Poole 93, Andrew Putnam 95, Neville West 96, Shaquaid Hihi 97, Mark Stewart 97, Cary Hensley 97, Bill Simpson 100, Manav Garewal 103, Kymani Tamatea 103, Waiti Tamatea 103, James McGregor 104.

Twos: D. Bullivant, M. Henwood, J. Jenner, D. Pirimona, P. Anderson.

Nearest to pin on 6: P. Anderson.

THURSDAY (Aug 7) - Thursday Throne men’s par: I. Murphy +6, B. Colbert +2, J. Rowe +2, V. Richardson +2, M. Gemmell +2, G. Morley +2

Twos: V. Richardson 2, S. Jeune.

Jackpot: V. Richardson.

Nearest to pin on 6: P. Humphries.

Patutahi

One name stands between Hukanui Brown and the accolade of being the greatest men’s player in Patutahi club championship history.

J.A. “Tony” Burns won the senior title from 1976 to 1982 - a seven-year run - and again in 1984 for the eighth time.

Brown is one away from emulating that and started his bid to add to his list by top qualifying for the 2025 champs.

Brown won his first senior crown in 2007. His second took another 12 years, but he has been indestructible since then to be sitting on seven titles.

The last player to beat Brown in the champs was William Brown in the 2018 final.

With 14 players in the senior men’s division, Brown and second qualifier Shayde Skudder have a bye into the quarterfinals.

The senior women’s competition will be a straight final between three-time champion (including 2024) Denise Johnston and 2015 and 2022 champ Shelley Robertson on finals day (September 7).

The intermediate men’s division has the full complement of 16. Rocky Pardoe is No 1 seed but could be tested in round 1 by Michael Broad, one of the heroes of Patutahi’s Endeavour men’s interclub pennants series victory.

The intermediate women’s honour is also a two-horse race. Kennedy Sarich, looking for her first Patutahi crown, faces Sheree Gray - a two-time senior champion (2001, 2013) and the 2019 intermediate winner.

Tony Sharp’s sensational 81 in the first round of qualifying sealed the No 1 spot in the junior men’s division featuring 13 players. Sharp, defending champion Korban Harrison-Allen and jetsprinting legend Peter Briant have round 1 byes.

Six players are vying for the junior women’s title. Helen Pomana is looking to complete a senior (2019), intermediate (2023) and junior career treble. She and reigning champ Charlie Holland have byes to the semifinals.

SUNDAY - Women’s net: D. Johnston 74.

Men’s net, division 1: H. Harris 70, G. Brown 72, P. Hokianga 73, J. Priestley 74.

Division 2: P. Tinnelly 72, M. Murphy 73, B. Tietjen 74, S. Nepe 76.

FRIDAY - Meat pack 9-hole Stableford, division 1: P. Hokianga 19, P. Briant 19, J. Neilson18, M. Broad 18.

Division 2: C. Harris 19, G. Watson 19, M. White 18, D. Quinn 27 on c/b.

Electrinet Park

Momentum is building for the return of the Treemarkables Men’s 54-hole Strokeplay Open on August 30-31.

While it has been a little quiet entry-wise, organisers are expecting it to pick up as club championships throughout the district progress.

Rhythm and Vines has also come to the sponsorship party, providing the major approach prize of tickets to the 2025 festival. Park will be hosting the annual R&V Classic golf tournament this year.

The Open features 27 holes a day. Those wanting to enter or with enquiries can ring the club on 8678949 or email competitions@gpgc.co.nz

Waikohu

The club championship finalists are all but decided although the date for finals day is not.

Richard Reeves is through to the senior men’s final where he faces either Geoff Pari or reigning champion Terry Reeves.

Tama Brown and Larry Green are the intermediate men’s finalists while Sonny Ritchie has the chance to avenge last year’s loss to Kahu Tamanui in the junior men’s final.

Andrea Reeves and Val Grace will contest the senior women’s final; Cheryl Te Rito will defend the intermediate women’s crown against Audrey Tamanui-Nunn; and Penny Rutene will be out to retain the junior women’s title against Marg Tuapawa.

COMING UP: SUNDAY, club day.

Tahunga

The Noonan Cup open closing day open day tournament is on Saturday, August 23.

Mixed pairs (arrange your own partner) Stableford and men’s gross and Stableford competitions.

Cuppa at 10.30am, tee-off at 11am.

Lunch and dinner provided.

Inquiries to Mike Gibson 0279299205 or Kylie Johnson 0275141786 or email tahungagolfclub@gmail.com.

Note, there is no eftpos at the club.

Te Puia Hot Springs

Iritana Ngarimu and James Forrester were in match-winning touch on a challenging Sunday.

Ngarimu beat Pauline Summersby 5 and 4 in round 2 of the Handicap Cup while Forrester defeated Dick Cook 1-up in a Makarika Cup match.

SUNDAY - Stableford: J. Forrester Jnr 35, R. Smith 33.

Twos: R Ngatai.

COMING UP: SUNDAY, committee meeting, all welcome.

Tolaga Bay

Tolaga Bay Golf Club is marking its 100th year with a Centennial Anniversary tournament on Saturday, October 25.

The tournament is a 9-hole ambrose - teams of four - teeing off at 10am.

It will feature gross, net and Stableford sections and kai will be provided.

For more information, contact Murray Yates 0220943728.