Gisborne vet golfer wins former neighbour’s trophy 50 years on

Trophy winners ... Holding the silverware spoils of golfing war following the prizegiving for the Gisborne East Coast Vets Open on the Awapuni Links course this week are (from left) Kerry Allan, Caren Van Der Meys, Stefan Andreassen, Neville Jenkins, Teresa Lewis, Dallas Atkins, Iritana Ngarimu, Peter Johnston, Laurie Owen and John Aitchison.

Neville Jenkins took a trip down memory lane when he received the Group 5 trophy at the Ryman Healthcare Gisborne East Coast Vets Open tournament prizegiving on Wednesday.

The McMurray Plate was first presented by Tom McMurray in 1976 and Jenkins recalls McMurray living a couple of doors down from him in Abbott St years ago.

He also admits to being a little envious of the golfing parties McMurray used to throw.

Nearly 50 years later, Jenkins received the McMurray Plate after defeating Whakatāne’s Paul Reid in the Group 6 matchplay final of the Awapuni Links-hosted GEC Vets tournament.

Jenkins is 82 (20 years older than Reid, he pointed out) and one of a few octogenarians who enjoyed success at the open.

Among them was Dallas Atkins, who beat John Williams in the Group 6 final.

Jenkins and Atkins are mates from way back.

Atkins used to live in Rimu St, around the corner from Jenkins, and the pair are kind-of neighbours nowadays in Lytton West ... Jenkins at Ryman Healthcare’s Kiri Te Kanawa Lifestyle Village; Jenkins at nearby Beetham Lifestyle Village.

Both are long-time members of Poverty Bay Golf Club and have supported the GEC Vets’ Open over many years.

Atkins, 81, with tongue in cheek, says the fact they are playing “down in Group 5 and 6″ these days suggests “we are on the way out”.

Tene Goldsmith, at 78 years young, could argue age is no barrier.

“Goldie” broke his age with a 76 in the traditional Sunday trophy 18-hole strokeplay round that precedes the men’s matchplay competition.

The lowest round was 75, shot by Goldsmith’s Poverty Bay clubmate Stefan Andreassen and Napier’s Phil Gravestock, whose effort featured 15 pars and three bogeys.

Gravestock went on to make the Group 1 final in which he was beaten by home-course player Laurie Owen.

Waipawa’s Peter Johnston won Group 2, Napier’s Kerry Allan Group 3 and Mahia’s John Aitchison Group 6.

Mount Maunganui member Caren Van Der Meys saved her best to last to win the women’s 54-hole gross title.

She was locked in a battle with Poverty Bay’s Lynne Holmberg after two rounds – Holmberg shooting 82 in round 1 – but an 83 to Holmberg’s 91 in round 3 sealed Van Der Meys a comfortable victory.

Te Puia Hot Springs’ Iritana Ngarimu won the overall net on the back on her spectacular 98-34-64 round 2 performance.

Ever-consistent Teresa Lewis won the Stableford with 113 points – an average of nearly 38 points.

Jenkins was full of praise for the tournament. Garry Pellett, of GEC Vets, and the rest of the organising team did a brilliant job, he said.

GEC Vets Open results (a member of Poverty Bay unless otherwise indicated) -

Endeavour Cup (50-65yrs) men’s 18-hole gross: Stefan Andreassen 75 on c/b from Phil Gravestock (Napier).

18-hole net: Colin Simpson 67; Kerry Allan (Napier) 69; Dirk Bullivant 69.

Discovery Salver (70yrs+) men’s 18-hole gross: Tene Goldsmith 76; Vance Richardson 79.

18-hole net: Andy Carrie 62; Nigel Jones 63; James McGregor 64.

Women’s 54-hole gross: Caren Van Der Meys (Mt Maunganui) 256 (86, 87, 83).

54-hole net: Iritana Ngarimu (Te Puia Hot Springs) 218 (78, 64, 76); Marg Colebourne 220 (69, 76, 75); Janet Muir 222 (73, 75, 74).

54-hole Stableford: Teresa Lewis 113 (40, 35, 38); Gayle Nairn (Fairview) 111 (40, 38, 33); Kino White (Electrinet Park) 109 (34, 36, 39).

Men’s matchplay, Group 1, Open Challenge Cup, overall winner: Laurie Owen from Phil Gravestock (Napier).

Consolation: Dirk Bullivant from Stefan Andreassen.

Flight 1: Chris Robinson (Whakatāne).

Flight 2: Carl Carmody.

Group 2, Captain Cook Cup, overall winner: Peter Johnston (Waipawa) from Garth Marchbank.

Consolation: Colin Simpson from Clive Dean.

Flight 1: Vance Richardson.

Flight 2: Frank Ball.

Group 3, McMillan Cup, overall winner: Kerry Allan (Napier) from Miro Cooper (Whakatāne).

Consolation: Mike Dodgshun from John Pittar.

Flight 1: Paul Rickard.

Flight 2: Jonah Jones (Whakatāne).

Group 4, Waikanae Plate, overall winner: John Aitchison (Mahia) from Mark O’Dowd (Te Pohue).

Consolation: Tony Rutledge (Taupō) from Garry Pellett.

Flight 1: Hamish Williams.

Flight 2: Ken Fairest (Whakatāne).

Group 5, McMurray Plate, overall winner: Neville Jenkins from Paul Reid (Whakatāne).

Consolation: Dave Mettrick from Andy Carrie.

Flight 1: Ray Brott.

Flight 2: Manav Garewal.

Group 6, overall winner: Dallas Atkins from John Williams.

Consolation: Reid Fletcher from Don Niven.

Flight 1: Rob Fletcher.

Flight 2: Martin Van Der Meys (Mt Maunganui).

Twos: L. Holmberg, P. Dow, K. Manderson, M O’Dowd, P. Rickard 2, J. McGregor, T. Goldsmith, P. Gravestock, J. Aitchison, A. Carrie 2, M. Garewal.