Reedy standout as Tairāwhiti consigned to wooden spoon at Freyberg Masters golf tournament

The Tairāwhiti team who competed at the Freyberg Masters national interprovincial golf tournament in Invercargill last week are, back row: Richard Apanui and David Solomann. Front: Anaru Reedy, Dwayne Russell and Pete Stewart.

One of the greatest individual performances in Tairāwhiti and Poverty Bay-East Coast history wasn’t enough to avoid the wooden spoon at the Freyberg Masters national interprovincial last week.

Tairāwhiti finished 15th and last at the week-long over-40s men’s matchplay tournament on the Otatara course in Invercargill.

The five-man team went into their round 9 clash with Southland on Saturday afternoon needing a team win to have any chance of lifting themselves off the bottom rung.

They went close, losing 3½-1½, the tie going down to the fifth and final match between Tairāwhiti No 1 David Solomon and Southland’s Simon Hollyer, who won 1-up.

No 2 Anaru Reedy had a win while Masters debutant and Richard Apanui shared the honours in his clash at No 3.

Tairāwhiti finished on half a team point earned in a battle royal with Manawatū-Whanganui on Friday.

Reedy and Apanui chalked up wins while No 5 Pete Stewart had a half. Solomon lost 1-down and No 4 Dwayne Russell was beaten 3 and 2.

Tairāwhiti were on the wrong end of a couple of knife-edge clashes on a tough, long Invercargill course featuring thick, punishing rough and the fastest greens (11 feet, six inches on the stimpmeter) most of, if not all, the players had experienced.

Reedy stood tall not only among his teammates but the entire field. He ended with a record of six wins and two losses - finishing the week with four consecutive victories.

It was up there among the finest performances by a Tairāwhiti (formerly Poverty Bay-East Coast) rep at any level.

Auckland retained the title with a perfect record of eight team wins - including 5-0 over Tairāwhiti - and 31½ individual points. Hawke’s Bay were second on seven (31½) and Canterbury third on six (27).

North Harbour are hosting next year’s Masters at a venue yet to be confirmed.