His handicap's higher but Mark Watts' swing has changed little since this 2012 Poverty Bay Open photo. And it brought him success on Sunday in the club Stableford at Tolaga Bay Golf Club. Photo / Paul Rickard
Two different paths were taken to the same winning score by Dom Wilson and Tony Green over the holiday weekend.
Wilson carded 75-9-66 to win the Division 1 men’s net on Sunday in a round that ranged from three birdies to a double bogey in nines of 35 and 40.
Club president Green did the same - 75-9-66 - to win the voucher day net on Auckland Anniversary Day, but his 38-37 route featured five bogeys and 13 pars ... same number, same success, different formula.
Joe Blair threatened to break his age in placing second on Monday. The 82-year-old shot 84-18-66.
Third-placed Watene Brown fired an action-packed 1-over 73-6-67 that included five birdies and a triple bogey.
Denise Johnston continued her “Mrs Consistency” run of form for 2026, winning the women’s net on Sunday with 83-11-72 and getting among the Monday results with 81-12-69.
In the four 18-hole rounds and three lots of nine holes she has played this year, Johnston has had only two double bogeys and a bunch of pars and bogeys.
MONDAY - Voucher day net: T. Green 66, J. Blair 66, W. Brown 67, G. Brown 69, D. Johnston 69, T. Brodie 70, P. Johnston 70.
Twos: R. Reeves, R. Mottart.
SUNDAY - Women’s net: D. Johnston 72, A. Haisman 72, C. Stills-Hindmarsh 77.
Division 1 men: D. Wilson 66, T. Hindmarsh 68, L. Anania 69, P. Summersby 70, H. Harris 71.
Division 2 men: G. Holland 68, M. Smith 70, B. Pohatu 71, R. Bridge 72.
Twos: D. Russell, T. Hindmarsh, G. Holland.
FRIDAY - Meat pack 9-hole Stableford, Division 1: T. Brodie 22, T. Hindmarsh 20, H. Harris 20, J. Blair 20, A. Nimmo 19, P. Summersby 19.
Division 2: P. Jex-Blake 19, N. Short 18, G. Roadley 18, R. Evans 17, S. Fookes 17, D. Quinn 17.
COMING UP: SATURDAY, Feb 14, Patutahi open opening day tournament, Canadian mixed pairs and men’s sections, 11am tee-off, inquiries to George Brown 0273709869 or horiboy1@xtra.co.nz; SATURDAY, Feb 21, Patutahi Ladies’ Open.
Nearly a year to the day he last broke 80, Andy Abrahams almost ended the drought.
His 81-13-68, for 40 points, on Saturday was his lowest score since a 79 on January 24.
Abrahams won the Division 2 men’s stableford while Mount Maunganui member Rod Grieve had a front nine of even-par 36 in his Division 1-winning effort of 80-11-69, for 39.
Murray Smith went agonisingly close to a two, putting his ball to tap-in range and subsequently winning the approach.
A rush of 90+ scores earlier this month has been consigned to ancient history by Garth Marchbank in his last few rounds. He won Sunday’s Division 2 Stableford with 83-15-68 on countback from Mark Karalus.
Willie Mortleman got two the hard way on the 11th, pitching in from about 30m out. It earned him $50 credit in the pro’s competition and $100 cash as the only two among the “Sunday School” crew.
TUESDAY - Gisborne East Coast Veterans’ monthly Stableford, men: R. Wells 41, B. Solomon 41, D. Niven 41, M. Garewal 40, B. Morrissey 40, B. Anderson 39, F. Ball 38, J. Jenner 38, G. Marchbank 37, K. Ellison 37.
Women: S. Gray 32.
SUNDAY - Men’s Stableford, Division 1: A. White 37, W. Mortleman 37, S. Jeune 37, B. Brown 37.
Division 2: G. Marchbank 40, M. Karalus 40, G. Clapham 37, N. Jones 37.
Twos: W. Mortleman.
Approach: S. Jeune.
SATURDAY - Men’s Stableford, Division 1: R. Grieve 39, G. Morley 36, Watene Brown 36, V. Richardson 34, C. Christophers 34.
Division 2: A. Abrahams 40, L. Hurlstone 37, B. Marshall 36, R. Moylan 34, J. Kerekere 34.
Twos: C. Simpson, A. Kirkpatrick.
Approach: A. Kirkpatrick.
THURSDAY (Jan 22) - Men’s Stableford, Division 1: J. Bryden 39, J. Van Helden 38, C. Dean 39, A. Kirkpatrick 37.
Division 2: K. Dodgshun 38, G. Clapham 37, H. Williams 37, S. Willock 36, M. Gemmell 36.
Twos: K. Gunness, M. Smith.
Approach: M. Smith.
Putahi Morrison dominated Round 3 of the men’s Summer Cup series.
Morrison won with 44 Stableford points, heading off Daryl Goldsmith (41) and Mark Higham.
Pauline Summersby won Round 1 of the women’s Summer Cup with 38 points.
SUNDAY - Summer Cup, men, Round 3, Stableford: P. Morrison 44, D. Goldsmith 41, M. Higham 38.
Summer Cup, women, Round 1, Stableford: P. Summersby 38, Hiria McClutchie 34, R. Ngatai 29.
Twos: M. Higham, M. Aurupa, B. Clark.
Terry Reeves and Toni Rutene are the 2026 Summer Cup champions.
Reeves won the men’s title by the narrowest of margins, heading off Geoff Pari on countback after they ended with a best two-round net total of 135.
In contrast, Rutene owned the women’s competition, her 134 total 10 shots clear of runner-up Audrey Tamanui-Nunn.
Waikohu’s open opening tournament is on Saturday, February 7.
SUNDAY - Summer Cup net, men: T. Reeves 135 (66, 69) from G. Pari 135 (69,66), K. Ruru 141 (73,68).
Women: T. Rutene 134 (67,67) from A Tamanui-Nunn 144, A. Reeves 155 (80,75).
COMING UP: SUNDAY, special general meeting, 9am, club competition to follow; SATURDAY, Feb 7, Waikohu open opening tournament, Canadian mixed pairs and men’s sections, cup of tea 10am, tee-off 11am, inquiries to Audrey Tamanui-Nunn 0221772474 or Karauria Ruru 0274041752.
A couple of 23-point hauls highlighted the Novus Glass twilight Stableford last Thursday.
Maz Truuts shot 40 off his 9-handicap to win Division 2 on countback from Lana Waitoa.
THURSDAY (Jan 22) - Novus Glass twilight Stableford, Division 1: S. Ratima 21.
Division 2: M. Truuts 23, L. Waitoa 23.
Men’s long drive: C. Christophers.
Women’s long drive: L. Waitoa.
Nearest pin: B. Matoe.
Monkey on the back: K. Tupara.
Postie Mark Watts delivered in his second round of 2026.
Watts’ 38 points won the Sunday Stableford on countback from Pete Stevenson.
SUNDAY - Stableford: M. Watts 38, P. Stevenson 38, T. Higgs 35, G. McLean 35, J. Hale 35, BJ Sidney 33.
Twos: BJ Sidney.
Approach: BJ Sidney.
Mahia Golf Club’s open opening day tournament is being held on Saturday, January 31.
Tee-off is at 11am and there are mixed pairs and men’s sections.
Inquiries to David Waihaki 0274130773 or Renee Hiko 0273718682.