News, results from around Gisborne, East Coast golf courses

Sonny days....Sonny Ritchie (pictured) shone for the second weekend running at Waikohu on Saturday. Hot from winning the men's title of the club's Summer Cup series, Ritchie was in the victory circle again at a rain-hit Waikohu open opening day. He combined with Penny Rutene to win the Canadian mixed pairs. Rutene is pictured with Summer Cup women's champion Andrea Reeves.

Waikohu

A weather gods dummy spit claimed victims but didn’t dampen spirits at Waikohu’s open opening day on Saturday.

The heavens opened up for about an hour on what had been a warm and humid day and a number of players did not finish their rounds, resulting in some scores being assessed.

No one was complaining, certainly not after experiencing Waikohu’s manaakitanga, including a superb hākari on the 19th.

Locals dominated the Canadian mixed pairs Stableford – Penny Rutene and Sonny Ritchie winning with 40 points.

Electrinet Park member Pete Stewart won the gross with a 3-over 73, one ahead of clubmate Matt Henwood.

Another Park player, Jason Lloyd, topped the net with 73-8-65, while Waikohu’s Frank Ngatoro won the Stableford with 82-14-68, for 38 points.

SATURDAY – Waikohu opening day, Canadian mixed pairs Stableford: P. Rutene/S. Ritchie 40, M. Tuapawa/T. Ruru 39, H. Pomana/K. Ruru 38, R. Hiko/D. Waihaki 38, J. Broughton/M. Buckley 36.

Men’s division, gross: P. Stewart 73, M. Henwood 74, G. Pari 77.

Net: J. Lloyd 65, W. Aupouri 68, K. Spring 72.

Stableford: F. Ngatoro 38, R. Castle 37; W. Reedy 30.

Women’s long drives: R, Hiko, M. Vette.

Men’s long drives: M. Henwood, T. Ruru.

Approaches: E. Wynyard (women), D. Waihaki (men).

Best second shot Canadian mixed pairs: A and R. Reeves

COMING UP: SUNDAY, handicap singles.

Poverty Bay

John Pittar was in the money for the second week running in last Thursday’s Stableford.

Pittar followed up his 82 from the week before with another 82, set up by a front nine holes of 38. His 42 points won the division 2 Stableford by a point from John Williams.

Blake Marshall’s 94-29-65, for 43 points, in winning the division 2 men’s Stableford on Saturday, was the score of the week.

But the performance of the week came from Waka Donnelly in Sunday’s competition. Starting on the 10th off the championship tees, scratch handicapper Donnelly had four birdies – three on the trot – in an outward nine of 4-under 32, then performed a number of Houdini acts in his homeward nine of 36 for a 68 off the stick and a division 1-winning 40 points.

He slotted clutch putts ranging from 2m to 4.5m over the last three holes to achieve the “Sunday School” jackpot of scoring two or more points on every hole.

Other Stableford winners over the week were John Holmes, Jon Jenner and Tene Goldsmith.

The race for the 10 qualifying spots for the twilight 9-hole shootout final is heating up.

Heading into Wednesday’s round, Kath McLatchie was leading the way with a total of 65 for her best three Stableford scores.

Glenn Middlemiss and Daniel Williams were next best on 63 while rounding out the top 10 were Murray Jones on 62, Kim Travers, Dave Quinn and Jacob Douglas on 61, and Shannon Ratima, Hamish Douglas and Glen Hannah on 60.

TUESDAY – Gisborne East Coast Veterans’ Association Stableford: D. Bullivant 38, J. Holmes 38, K. Gunness 37, B. Morrissey 36, P. Down 36, L. Foster 36, T. Loomis 35, R. Wells 35, P. Rickard 35.

SUNDAY – Men’s Stableford, division 1: W. Donnelly 40, J. Van Helden 38, N. Mackie 38, W. Mortleman 38.

Division 2: J. Holmes 35, T. Williams 35, R. Young 34, M. Lewin 34.

Twos: M. McMenamin 2, P. Dow, B. Anderson, P. Humphreys.

Approach: B. Anderson.

Jackpot: M. McMenamin.

SATURDAY – Men’s Stableford, division 1: J. Jenner 37, C. Palmer 37, J. Van Helden 37.

Division 2: B. Marshall 43, P. McHugh 39, K. Gunness 37, P. Goodwin 37.

Twos: M. Jefferson, S. Jeune, J. Van Helden, C. Palmer.

Approach: C. Palmer.

THURSDAY (Jan 30) – Men’s Stableford, division 1: T. Goldsmith 37, J. Van Helden 35, S. Andreassen 35, S. Harbottle 35.

Division 2: J. Pittar 42, J. Williams 41, K. Gunness 39, P. Humphreys 37.

Twos: S. Jeune, P. Humphreys.

Approach: K. Gunness.

WEDNESDAY (Jan 29) – Twilight Stableford, women: C. Holland 21, D. Sherratt 29, L. Haisman 18.

Men, back 9: A. Chapman 22, M. Murphy 21, N. Jenkins 20, C. Akuhata-Brown 20, J. Partington 20, O. Aldridge 19.

Men, front 9: W. Tamatea 22, R. Ratima 21, A. Pahina 19, L. Bates 19, D. Bullivant 19.

COMING UP: Fulton Hogan Friday Ambrose Teams Series, February 14, 21, 28 and March 7, teams of four ambrose over six holes, shotgun start at 5.45pm, open to anyone including non-golfers, maximum handicap of 24 for non-golfers, includes platter and prizes each night, entry form available on Awapuni Links: Home of the Poverty Bay Golf Club Facebook page.

Te Puia Hot Springs

Mopey Devery is enjoying his stint home from Australia.

The East Coast-hard Devery won the Sunday Stableford with 41 points as the men and women played alongside each other and the men were to the fore in the rain.

Bill Clark was second on 39 while Iritana Ngarimu’s 35 was best of the women.

SUNDAY – Stableford: M. Devery 41, B. Clark 39, M. Higham 37, I. Ngarimu 35, A. Cook 32.

Twos: D. Goldsmith.

COMING UP: SUNDAY, meeting 10.30am

Patutahi

Shayde Skudder showed how much natural talent he has in winning the division 1 men’s net with his first official 18-hole round of the year on Sunday.

“Skudz”, who registered only one round in 2024, shot 2-under 68-1-67 to win by one from Beau Toa.

Lyall Anania’s third-placed 69 was enough to earn him the men’s title in the Summer Cup three-round net series with a 210 total.

Abbie Davis won the women’s crown.

The Vets Cup best-two-of-three-net honours was shared by Sel Skudder and George Brown on 140.

SUNDAY – Summer Cup, round 3, men’s net, division 1: Shayde Skudder 67, Beau Toa 68, L. Anania 69, D. Pohatu 71, B. McKenzie 71, T. Green 71.

Division 2: L. Bates 71, A. Zame 73.

Women’s net: A. Davis 73.

Twos: Beau Toa, D. Pohatu, C. Parker.

Summer Cup overall winners (total net over 3 rounds): L Anania (men) 210, A. Davis (women).

Vets Cup overall winner (best 2 of 3 nets): Sel Skudder and G. Brown 140.

COMING UP: Sunday, Feb 16, Patutahi Open Opening Tournament, 11am tee-off, Canadian mixed foursomes and men’s sections, contact George Brown on 0273709869 or horiboy1@xtra.co.nz.

Electrinet Park

A run of four birdies propelled Chris Fox to victory at the Gordon’s Pharmacy twilight Stableford last Thursday.

Fox also smoked the long drive as he carded an even-par 36 for 21 points, including birdies from the sixth to ninth holes, and a double bogey on the third.

Kymani Tamatea’s lead from the 2024 period of qualifying for the twilight 9-hole shootout has been reduced so far in 2025.

The youngster had a best five-scores total of 110 up to December 5, eight clear of Rueben Maynard, but the chasing pack have closed the gap over the first three twilights in 2025.

That could easily change as players count their five best scores of 2025 to produce a 10-round total and there are plenty of weeks to go.

THURSDAY (Jan 30) – Gordon’s Pharmacy twilight Stableford: C. Fox 21, D. Rameka 21.

Men’s long drive: C. Fox.

Women’s long drive: K. White.

Approach: I. Loffler.

Monkey on the back: R. Hindmarsh.

Non-golfers' section: A. Toa.

Mahia

COMING UP: SATURDAY, Feb 22, Mahia opening day, 11am tee-off, Canadian mixed foursomes and men’s sections, 18-hole Stableford, entry includes meal and twos, eftpos available, maximum handicap 36 for men 40.4 for women, contact Maraea 0272292342.