GOLF - Clarke too good for field on home track

Dale Clarke gave the Northland selectors a break yesterday by winning the City of Whangarei Classic yesterday.
The selectors have been struggling with one of the closest selection battles for places in the interprovincial team in years.
However, Clarke's eight-shot victory over the rest of the Classic field at least gave them the ammunition they needed to put him at No.1 for the Garrard Shield match at Mount Maunganui in two weeks time.
Clarke was comfortable on his home course and few were surprised to see him jump out to a comfortable lead on Saturday evening after two three-under rounds of 69.
He faded slightly on Sunday to finish with a 74 and a four-under three round total of 212 - but still the 22-year-old former Northland number-one wasn't entirely happy with the way he played.
"I struggled off the tee the entire weekend but yesterday I putted well and that helped me hold it together," he said.
Strong winds and some squally rain yesterday was responsible for many of the golfers recording larger scores than they had over the previous two rounds - and that was the case for Clarke as well.
"It blew everybody around a bit but what can you do? I had an unplayable lie on the 14th which led to a double bogey, but apart from that it wasn't too bad - although I wasn't too happy with a 74 because I like to set high standards," he said.
Gary-John Hill chased Clarke hard yesterday but he also struggled in the strong winds and his challenge faded, finishing with a score of 220.
Kaitaia's Bob Shirley and Maungakiekie's Mike Letch finished tied for third on 224.
Northland are without last year's No.1 (Hill) for the Garrard Shield.
He instead will play for New Zealand in the Spirit International Amateur Golf Championships in Texas.
Northland's 2007 No.2, Brad Bonnington, is also unavailable but both will play at the Lion Foundation Interprovincial, also at Mount Maunganui in early December.
Northland selector Roy Pelsky was pleased to see Clarke playing so well.
"It's his home track though and he knows it really well but he certainly didn't disappoint with his performance over the weekend and we're hopeful that he will carry that form through to Mount Maunganui," he said.
The competition for places especially for the final two spots in the five-man interprovincial team has intensified once again.
Individuals will be playing for more than just the Garrard Shield in two weeks time, with the quadrangular competition against Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty acting as a final trial for a place in the national interprovincial tournament.
"It's a good position to be in really, we're not too sure who will fill the final positions in the interprovincial team yet but we'd glad the competition is so tight for them - that can't be bad," Pelsky said.
" Northland senior men (Garrard Shield): Dale Clarke, Tony Mayo, Alvin Rapana, Jeremy Hay, Gavin Welsh, Gene Wintle, Bob Shirley, Jack Winwood, Bruce Donaldson, Craig Palmer.
" Northland under-19s (Ralph Cup): Gavin Brown, Josh Clark-Steedman, Lee Newman, Mitchell Price, Brett Robinson.
" Northland Masters (Nelson interprovincials): Shirley, Welsh, Winwood, Donaldson, Palmer.