News, results from Gisborne and East Coast golf clubs

Smashing drives rather than windows is the aim of the Park men's teams in this year's Tairāwhiti men's interclub pennants, which tees off at Tolaga Bay on Saturday. The Park's two-team campaign is being backed by Kevin Hollis Glass. Park 1 are seeded second after losing to Pātutahi 1 in last year's final. Park 2 are sixth. Pictured are, back row (from left): Mike Bond, John Collier jnr, Sel Penha, Bailey Matoe and Ian Loffler. Front: Reuben Maynard, Craig Christophers, Matt Henwood, Anthony Pahina and Chris Fox.

Pātutahi

Waikohu has a tradition of supporting opening-day tournaments ... and it’s a winning one.

That continued at Pātutahi on Saturday as Waikohu took home the Canadian mixed foursomes title and Division 2 men’s Stableford honours.

Waikohu’s Blair Crawshaw had the round of the day, racking up 43 points to win Div 2.

Clubmates Marg Tuapawa and Tipi Ruru combined for 38 points to win the Canadian foursomes.

Poverty Bay’s Pete Stewart rattled off four birdies in the last seven holes in his Division 1 gross-winning 71.

Home-course player Jon Priestley won the Division 2 Stableford with 39 points and Tolaga Bay’s Joe Sheridan topped the Division 2 gross with an 84.

A field of 86 competed in the tournament, which was rescheduled from last month due to the weather.

Balls ended up in strange places, none more so than Jason Phillips’ drive from the second tee – his ball somehow finishing down the fourth fairway ... further than his drive off the fourth tee itself.

“I’ve never seen anyone there [from the second tee] before,” a stunned senior men’s club champion Hukanui Brown said from the nearby third green.

SUNDAY - Division 1 men’s net: A. Hindmarsh 67, B. McKenzie 68, G. Brown 70, K. Harrison-Allen 71, T. Hindmarsh 72.

Division 2 men’s net: A. Nimmo 68, Z. Norris 69, G. Watson 72, C. Harris 72.

Women’s net: Women’s division, net: C. Stills-Hindmarsh 70.

Twos: T. Hindmarsh, S. Pohatu, P. Hokianga.

SATURDAY - Pātutahi open opening day, Division 1 men, gross: P. Stewart 71.

Stableford: J. Priestley 39, D. Wilson 39, G. Middlemiss 38, C. Taewa 37, L. Anania 37, H. Brown 36, E. West 35, K. Harrison-Allen 34, D. Russell 37.

Division 2 men, gross: J. Sheridan 84.

Stableford: B. Crawshaw 43, J. Tietjen 38, M. Murphy 37, K. Dodgshun 36, L. Jamieson 35, S. Nepe 35, R. Ratima 35, C. Harris 35, T. Sharp 35.

Canadian mixed foursomes Stableford: M. Tuapawa/T. Ruru 38, A. Tuari/E. Pirini 37, R. Hindmarsh/H. Pomana 37, K. Torrez/R. Smith 36, A. Tamanui-Nunn/P. Milner 37, C. Te Rito/K. Tamanui 36, R. Hiko/P. Bremner 36, S. Gray/A. Hindmarsh 36, C. Holland/G. Holland 32, L. Kriel/G. Brown 32.

Long drives: E. Brown jnr, R. Smith, K. Tamanui, L. Kriel, C. Holland.

Approaches: S. Harbottle, J. Sheridan, B. Crawshaw, S. Gray, A. Tamanui-Nunn.

Eagle on 10: C. Taewa.

FRIDAY - Meat pack 9-hole Stableford, Division 1: A. Brodie 23, G. Brown 19, S. Robertson 19, R. Hindmarsh 18, S. Toa 17.

Division 2: K. Dodgshun 23, S. Gray 21, G. Roadley 20, J. Tietjen 19, S. Fookes 19.

COMING UP: SATURDAY, March 28, Kaitere Farms Pātutahi Men’s Open, includes Bryan Johnson Memorial Cup, limited to first 100 players, entry includes twos, morning tea followed by tee-off at 11am, contact George Brown 0273709869 or horiboy1@xtra.co.nz

Poverty Bay

Never say die.

Rosie Spence didn’t and it earned her a memorable Hutchinson Cup final victory today.

The top qualifier found herself 4-down after six holes in the women’s handicap matchplay final against second seed Sally Spence.

Getting five shots, the 27-handicapper cut the deficit to 2-down by the turn, and won the 15th, 16th and 17th to be 1-up playing the 18th, which they halved.

Vance Richardson knocked out one Tamatea, but another stands in his way in his bid for Reynolds Cup glory.

Waiti Tamatea and Richardson will face off in the men’s handicap matchplay top 8 final on March 28 after decisive semi-final victories last Saturday.

Richardson defeated Waiti’s 12-year-old son Kymani 5 and 4. The match was all-square after nine holes, but Richardson changed gear in the back nine, starting with a birdie on the 10th, then parring every hole from 11 through to his victory on the 14th.

Waiti and defending champion Pat Butler were also even at the halfway mark. Butler won the 10th and 11th to go 2-up but the tide turned when Waiti “found my game” and he charged home to win on the 16th.

Along with the Reynolds final, the second 8 (Willock Cup) and third 8 (Low Bros Cup) trophies will be decided.

A couple of Titleists donated to the wood yard on the 14th hole didn’t stop Electrinet Park’s Josh Hayes and fiancée Holly Miller from combining triumphantly in the Mixed Pairs open tournament on Sunday.

In balmy conditions on impeccable greens, Hayes and Miller won one of the two titles up for grabs – the DJ Barry Jug for best-ball overall net.

Their 62 beat Marg Lane and head greenkeeper Rowan Clark on countback. Clark fired 75 off the stick, which he said was his best round in over 20 years (he shot 73 in July 2005).

Chic and Neil Mackie were third.

Incidentally, the two balls fired OOB from the 14th tee were from Hayes’ driver. Miller subsequently soaked up the pressure with her drive. The engagement remained intact.

Husband and wife Richard and Kirsten Searle piled up the points, 46 in all, to win the Toogood Jugs for best Stableford from Mary Allan and Jeremy Castles, with the LHs – Lynne Holmberg and Lindsay Hunt – third.

Tene Goldsmith equalled his age in the veterans’ Stableford on Tuesday with 79 off the stick. Watch this space for more of the same or better from The Golden One.

Sandy Armstrong won Round 3 and the overall title in the Sue Bunt Salver 9-hole net series, which was wrapped up today.

WEDNESDAY - Sue Bunt Salver 9-hole golfers’ net series, round 3: S. Armstrong 36, S. McLaughlin 37.

Overall winner: S. Armstrong.

Women’s 18-hole net: P. Gayford 69, T. Lewis 71.

Twos: M. Francois.

TUESDAY - Veterans’ Stableford: J. Jenner 39, T. Goldsmith 38, R. Davis 35, R. Farmer 35, D. Atkins 35.

Twos: P. McKenzie.

SUNDAY - Men’s Stableford, Division 1: J. Willoughby 36, B. Brown 36, M. Harris 35.

Division 2: M. Lewin 40, N. Jones 35, B. Simpson 34.

Twos: J. Willoughby, M. Jefferson.

Nearest to pin: P. Anderson.

SATURDAY - Men’s Stableford, Division 1: M. Jefferson 36.

Division 2: J. Kerekere 38.

Twos: A. Hayward.

Nearest to pin: J. Kerekere.

THURSDAY (March 12) - Men’s Stableford, Division 1: A. White 38, J. Devery 37, V. Richardson 36, C. Dean 36.

Division 2: J. Nepia 40, G. Udall 36, P. Gretton 36, B. Simpson 36.

Twos: M. Henwood 2, T. Loomis, S. Harbottle, M. Higham, R. Morley.

Nearest to pin: R. Morley.

Jackpot: M. Henwood.

WEDNESDAY (March 11) - Twilight Stableford, senior men, front 9: H. Douglas 20 on c/b.

Back 9: M. Harris 19.

Junior men, front 9: J. Nepia 23, J, Partington 23.

Back 9: R. Searle 20 on c/b.

Women: C. Holland 18.

The Craigs Investment Partners Eastland Helicopter Rescue Trust Charity Golf Day is at Poverty Bay on FRIDAY. Assemble at 11.30am for a noon shotgun start. The draw is - No 1 tee: Richard Foon, Craigs Investment 1, Craigs Investment 2.

No 2: Draggnett 1, Draggnett 2.

No 3: ECES, Slater Slammers.

No 4: Westpac, MTF.

No 5: Rabobank 1, Rabobank 2, BDO.

No 6: Eastland Helicopter, Thomas Reen.

No 7: Thistle Boys, Graham and Dobson.

No 8: Sam Willock, Placemakers.

No 9: Gisborne Fisheries, Nolans Lawyers.

No 10: AMFs, Friday Boys 1, Margot and Tom Brodie.

No 11: A & R Logging, Trust Tairāwhiti,

No 12: Surf City Squash Club, Marty Reynolds, King Bees Honey.

No 13: Jacob Leaf, The Big M.

No 14: Big Dog, Coastal.

No 15: First Light Frozen, Baty Plumbing, Friday Boys 2.

No 16: AJ Mack Contracting, Tee Montgomery.

No 17: Sherwood Station, Property Brokers.

No 18: Miggles Shanks, Lynne Holmberg.

Tolaga Bay

Peewee Tuapawa warmed up for this weekend’s Tolaga Bay opening tournament with a Stableford-winning effort on Sunday.

For the second Sunday in a row, Tuapawa broke 80, firing 79-14-65, for 39 points.

SUNDAY - Stableford: P. Tuapawa 39, D. Maitai 36, R. Pomana 33, M. Watts 32.

Approaches: T. Adamson, M. Watts.

Twos: R. Pomana, J. Murphy.

COMING UP: SUNDAY, Tolaga Bay open opening tournament, 11am tee-off, Canadian foursomes and men’s sections, Stableford, novelty prizes, long drives, approaches, contact Murray Yates 0220943728.