Anderson, 1-up playing 17, asked a teammate for advice within earshot of his opponent on a 5-foot putt he had for par.
That action is a breach of Rule 24.4c, which states “a player must not ask for advice from or give advice to a member of his or her team playing on the course”.
The penalty for the breach in matchplay is loss of hole.
Anderson sank the putt and Reedy missed his short putt for the half.
The pair shook hands but Park, who went on to lose the semifinal 5-3, lodged a protest within the 30-minute regulation period afterwards.
Anderson was told of the breach while walking back to the clubhouse. He acknowledged he had asked for advice but said he did not know that was not allowed.
The win to PB (1) stood for the time being, meaning they advanced directly to the final while Park faced Te Puia in an afternoon elimination semifinal.
The Springs had beaten Patutahi 5-3 in their morning 3 v 4 semifinal to stay alive.
The Te Puia-Park 1 clash ended 4-all, meaning a one-on-one sudden-death playoff was required but it was too dark to carry on, so the players headed in.
Following the hearing of the Park protest, pennants co-organiser Tuki Sweeney made the call the team win should go to the Park and that PB (1) would have to play Te Puia over 18 holes on May 23 to decide the other finalists.
Sweeney, on Monday, said it was “a decision I should not have made”. He decided to “go through the right channels” and contacted NZ Golf general manager Dave Mangan.
“He clarified it (the situation),” said Sweeney. “He said to me regardless of what happened, once the match was conceded (under Rule 3.2b(2)) , the result was final.
“The rule query needed to have been done there and then (not after the match).”
Official referee Duncan Bush reinforced the decision and said it underlined the need to have a referee readily available in such important events.
There were lessons to be learned from this situation and he was more than happy for himself or other qualified refs to be on-course at future rounds.
He recommended players, especially at this level, attend the next rules course and/or study towards referee qualification.
Park (1) as a team decided not to contest the playoff, giving the semifinal win to Te Puia, and will not play in finals day on May 23.
Sweeney said that meant Patutahi would play Tolaga Bay for the Pounamu Trophy (third place).
Controversy aside, there were several performances of note on the day, including Park (1)’s Sel Peneha recording two wins in his first pennants of the year, two wins to Te Puia Springs’ Andrew Higham over quality opponents in Shayde Skudder (Patutahi) and Reedy, a vital half for PB (1)’s Mark Jefferson in his Oligoi debut and a double for Tolaga Bay’s Neil Hansen.
Oligoi Jug interclub pennants semifinals, morning play — 1 v 2 , Poverty Bay (1) 5 Electrinet Park (1) 3 (PB names first): Pete Anderson def Anaru Reedy 2 and 1, Glenn Morley def Rod Moore on the 18th, Mark Jefferson halved with Jace Brown, Peter Clayton lost to Sel Peneha 4 and 3.
PB (1) advance directly to final.
3 v 4, Te Puia Hot Springs 5 Patutahi 3: William Brown lost to Hukanui Brown 3 and 2, Andrew Higham def Shayde Skudder 3 and 2, Wade Weshe def Reef Pohatu 2 and 1, Thomas Donovan halved with Dwayne Russell.
Te Puia Hot Springs advance to semi with Park (1), Patutahi drop into Pounamu Trophy third-place semifinals.
5 v 6, Tolaga Bay 6 Park (2) 2: Neil Hansen def Peter Stewart on the 18th, Tuki Sweeney halved with Anthony Pahina, Taine Lincoln def Zane Lewis on the 19th, Bruce Yates def Zach Rolls.
Tolaga Bay into Pounamu Trophy semifinals.
Afternoon play — Te Puia 4 Park (1) 4: Higham def Reedy 4 and 3, W Brown def Moore 8 and 6, Donovan lost to J Brown 1-up, Peneha def Wesche 2 and 1.
Sudden-death playoff postponed due to darkness, Park later gave the playoff to Te Puia, who advance to final v PB (1)
Patutahi 6 Tolaga Bay 2: Pohatu lost to Hansen, Skudder def Lincoln, Regan Hindmarsh def Yates, Russell def Sweeney.
Patutahi into Pounamu Trophy final and will face Tolaga Bay.
