Not enough to end the drought

Hastings Golf Club open day. 11 October 2015 Hawke's Bay Today Photograph by Warren Buckland. BTG 22Oct15 -

ONE of the best individual performances in Poverty Bay-East Coast masters history was not enough to lift them off the bottom of the ladder at the Freyberg over-40s interprovincial this week.

PBEC were beaten 3½-1½ by Tasman at New Plymouth’s Ngamotu course yesterday afternoon to end the week-long matchplay with eight defeats from eight matches.

Their aim going into the tournament was to end a team victory drought dating back to 2009.

Hopes of handing over the wooden spoon to another province were virtually extinguished going into yesterday’s last round but there was one final chance of getting that elusive team success.

Anaru Reedy played a huge part in ending the drought but did not get enough back-up from his teammates.

Reedy, at No.2 or No.3 in the five-man team, yesterday won his match against Tasman’s Bill Rooney 3 and 1. It gave him an excellent record of five wins from eight matches, among the best performances by a PBEC masters player.

Simon Jeune, at No.3, added a half against Michael Toal to his victory earlier in the week.

No.1 John Wyllie lost 2 and 1 to Craig Newman, No.4 Bruce Yates 4 and 3 to John Murray and No.5 Dougal Watts 4 and 2 to Blair Bavin.

Bay of Plenty came from fourth place heading into yesterday to clinch the overall masters title by just three individual wins.

Five provinces ended on six team points but BoP had 27½ individual wins to Hawke’s Bay’s 24½ and Canterbury’s 23.