Teens to tee it up at national interprovincials

File picture

Two Gisborne teenagers will make their men’s national interprovincial debuts on one of the country’s most famous courses.

Zach Rolls and Marcus Gray have been named in the six-strong Tairāwhiti team to compete at the interprovincials being hosted by the iconic Paraparaumu Beach and Waikanae golf clubs from December 5-9.

The team are (in playing order) William Brown (Waikohu), Dan Collier (Electrinet Park), Hukanui Brown (Patutahi), Rolls (Poverty Bay), Gray (Poverty Bay) and Shayde Skudder (Patutahi).

Rolls and Gray are students at Gisborne Boys’ High School — this is Rolls’ last year — and both are left-handers.

It will be the first-ever nationals under the Tairāwhiti banner after a reconstitutionalised association this year changed its name from Poverty Bay-East Coast.

PBEC were 11th out of the 15 provinces at the Bay of Plenty-hosted interprovincials last year — beating North Harbour and Aorangi.

They start the 2023 tournament with a clash against Manawatu-Wanganui, followed by Taranaki, defending champions Bay of Plenty, Tasman , Otago and Northland.

Meanwhile, Gisborne’s Tessa McDonald will once again wear the Hawke’s Bay colours at the women’s national interprovincials held alongside the men’s tournament.

McDonald is at No.2 in the HB team, who face Waikato, Taranaki, Northland, Aorangi and Otago, followed by positional playoffs.