Golf: Field driving for top of the class

Can the Hawke's Bay Masters women's golf side shake off their province's unluckiest team tag?

That was a major question as the team travelled west yesterday for their three-day national inter-provincial tournament which begins at the Feilding club today. The team which will again be captained by No1 Janie Field of the Napier club has finished second at their last four nationals.

Field has also been the second placed individual for three of the last four tournaments and was third last year.

"I want the top individual prize as much as the team wants the top overall prize," Field said.

Field and her teammates, No2 Lynne Roberts of the Hastings club, No3 Vicky Turley of the Hastings club, No4 Kathy Olsen of the Maraenui club and non-travelling reserve Isobel Temple of the Maraenui club, played at the Feilding club three weeks ago as part of their quest to dash Southland's hopes of a fifth consecutive title.

"The course was like concrete and this will make it tough. However it will be the same for everybody and it will come down to which team adjusts the best," Field said.

In each of the four rounds, another two will be played tomorrow and one on Sunday, the three best stableford scores from each team count towards the overall standings. Field pointed out the fact all four of the Bay players played at last year's tournament is a plus.

However like the other 13 teams they have had to adjust to a new time slot as the tournament had been played in November previously.

"Most of us like to rest during the summer period but we've played right through as part of our preparation," Field added.