PBEC masters team named

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Mahia's Pete Bremner and Auckland-based David Solomann are back in the Poverty Bay-East Coast fold for the Freyberg Masters men's interprovincial in Motueka from October 31 to November 4.

Bremner and Solomann were named in a six-strong squad for the over-40s matchplay tournament being held at Motueka Golf Club.

The squad (in playing order) are Anaru Reedy (Electrinet Park), Dwayne Russell (Patutahi), Tony Akroyd (Park), Bremner (Mahia) and Solomann (Whitford Park), with Jace Brown (Patutahi) the travelling reserve.

Reedy is captaining the side while Akroyd is manager and Russell assistant manager.

Regular PBEC masters player Simon Jeune is not available while Glenn Morley — an initial selection — has pulled out due to injury.

A back problem has curtailed Bremner from playing in more Freyberg Masters while Solomann — the men's president of Auckland Golf — has been a regular in the side in recent years.

Reedy, Russell, Akroyd and Brown were members of the PBEC team who finished 15th and bottom of the standings last year at Paraparaumu Beach.

The position did not reflect the competitiveness of the side and the 2022 edition are eager to improve the position of the country's smallest golfing province.

They are well aware it won't be easy.

A lot of the over-40s players are still good enough to make their national interprovincial sides — some do — and the level of play is high.

Add to that the physical demands of seven team matches over five days.

PBEC start with Southland and Auckland on day 1, followed by Waikato and Tasman on day 2, Northland on day 3, North Harbour on day 4 and Taranaki, who PBEC beat last year, on day 5.

Wellington are the defending champions.