Russell and Peneha in PBEC team

MASTER GOLFER: Dwayne Russell is to play in his first Freyberg Masters (over-40s) national interprovincial. He has been named in a six-man Poverty Bay-East Coast team for the 2021 tournament at Paraparaumu Beach next month. Picture by Paul Rickard

GOLF

TWO debutants have been named in the Poverty Bay-East Coast men’s team to contest the Freyberg Masters national interprovincial next month.

Patutahi member Dwayne Russell and Electrinet Park’s Selwyn Peneha were confirmed in a six-strong team for the over-40s matchplay tournament being held on the Paraparaumu links from November 8 to 12.

They are joined in the team by Park players Anaru Reedy, Tony Akroyd and Jace Brown, and Poverty Bay’s Simon Jeune.

It will be the first Masters interprovincial for Russell and Peneha, although Russell played for PBEC at the national interprovincial in Auckland last year.

Player-selector Anaru Reedy, assisted with selection by Jeune, said “this is the team we feel is the best we can provide this year”.

“I’d like to congratulate all those who made the team . . . Given how Covid has changed the landscape of the game I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have put themselves forward to represent our province.

“I’d like to pay special mention to Peter Stewart, who has selflessly made himself available for all of the masters fixtures this year.

“Given the depth of talent and players that we as a province now have at the over-40 section, it is only going to get more difficult to make this team so to achieve this is a huge honour.”

PBEC are looking to lift their ranking after finishing 15th and last in 2020.

They face Otago, Bay of Plenty, Northland, Southland, Canterbury, Hawke’s Bay, Auckland and Taranaki over the week.

A Covid cloud continues to hang over the event as Auckland and Waikato remain at Alert Level 3.