A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.
“Bring on Bay of Plenty” were the fighting words from so-called New Zealand golf minnows Poverty Bay-East Coast after another piranha-like performance at the men's national interprovincials yesterday.
PBEC defeated Aorangi 3-2 on the Omanu course at Mount Maunganui in Round 5 of the team matchplay tournament.
It was their second team victory of the week. They beat North Harbour 4-1 in Round 2.
The last time PBEC had two team wins at the national interprovincials was in 2016.
Yesterday's success in the only round of the day placed PBEC fifth in the eight-province Section 1 on two team points and 10 individual points.
It was a compressed points table bar runaway leaders Bay of Plenty (on five team points, 18 individual points). Heading into today's final two section rounds, three provinces were realistically in with a chance of joining BoP in the semifinals.
Wellington were sitting second on 2½ team points and 13½ individual wins; Northland were third on 2½ and 10; Otago were fourth on 2 and 10½.
All these teams had two rounds today.
PBEC had a mathematical chance of snatching the second spot but had the bye this morning and needed to pull off a huge upset over BoP this afternoon and have a lot of other results go their way.
Those uncontrollable factors were not in the PBEC game plan.
All they were thinking about last night was adding another win to their haul.
The unassailable position of BoP at the top of the table meant little to them.
“We know we can do it,” PBEC No.1 William Brown said after yesterday's victory.
“We like being the underdogs . . . we know that anyone can beat anyone on their day.”
Brown was the team kingpin in the Aorangi clash. There was blood in the water as the PBEC No.1 took seven of the opening nine holes against Josh Smith and was 5-under the card when the pair shook hands on the 12th.
“It was a windy old day,” Brown said.
“It was just a matter of keeping it simple and I made some putts.”
That early finish allowed Brown to jump on the bag of No.2 Andy Higham, who was up on Kristopher O'Neill, while there was also plenty of interest behind in the match between PBEC No.4 Hukanui Brown and Marcus Tessier.
Higham and Hukanui Brown showed no nerves down the stretch and went on to seal victories — Higham winning 3 and 1, Brown 2-up.
No.3 Dwayne Russell lost 4 and 3 to Ryan Cockburn and No.5 Shayde Skudder, still searching for that elusive first victory in his first national interprovincial, lost 5 and 4 to Cameron Grant.
William Brown would love to pull one out of the bag against a powerhouse BoP side on the Omanu course this afternoon.
He is playing in his 14th consecutive national interprovincial tournament and cannot recall PBEC ever having three wins “in my time”.
The team have extra incentive.
Long-time team manager Dave Keown fell ill this week and is in hospital.
“We'll be fighting for him,” William Brown said.
Meanwhile, Hawke's Bay-Poverty Bay are sitting sixth on the women's national interprovincial table heading into the last two rounds today.
HBPB, featuring Gisborne golfers Tessa McDonald (at No.1) and Ellen Ball (No.2) had the bye in yesterday's only round.
They have two team points and 11½ individual wins.
North Harbour, Auckland and Bay of Plenty are all on four team points.
HBPB faced Manawatu-Wanganui this morning and were to play Otago in the afternoon.
Both rounds are at Tauranga, which pleased McDonald and Ball. Four of the five wins the pair have contributed so far came at Tauranga.
The men's and women's national interprovincials are being played simultaneously on two courses this year — Tauranga and Omanu
McDonald told The Gisborne Herald yesterday that she preferred Tauranga to Omanu.
The tighter Tauranga suited her strength — driving — and she was more comfortable on its slower greens.
McDonald confirmed she would take a break from interprovincial play next year.
Her absence will be a huge loss for HBPB. She has fashioned an impressive record at the national interprovincials, including five wins in the past two years. Two wins today would equal that.
The 2022 national interprovincial tournament climaxes tomorrow with the men's and women's semifinals and finals.