Local masters apply rule of home advantage

POWER PLAY: The Northland team celebrates taking out the 2014 Diners Club Freyberg Masters trophy at Waitangi last week. Image Darrin Markin, Waitangi Golf Club.

The Northland team staged an amazing comeback to claim the Diners Club Freyberg Masters title at the Waitangi Golf Club on Friday.

The hosts, who went into the final round trailing 10-time champions and favourites Auckland by half a team point, were presented with a huge opportunity when Auckland lost 3-2 to Waikato in the final round. The Taniwha made the most of the chance by delivering a clutch win over Canterbury to claim the title for only the second time, and the first time in 16 years.

Northland claimed two wins early in the match courtesy of Bob Shirley and Saali Herewini and were desperate to find the third point to seal the title. Northland No4 Scott Wilson was 2-up with three holes to play but lost two holes in a row. On the final hole, however, his opponent Canterbury's Phillip Davis missed a two-foot putt which gave the hosting side another chance. This left it up to Peter Bone, who fought back to be square playing the last hole and his approach shot to the par 3 flicked the pin and finished 12 feet behind the hole. He halved the hole with pars and secured the 3-2 win to Northland. The final leaderboard saw Northland on top with 7.5 team points and 28 individual points ahead of Auckland, with seven team points and 25.5 individual points, with Aorangi 3rd.

Northland No3 Bob Shirley described the win as a career highlight and said the outcome also made up for coming up short last year at the Coringa Golf Club in Christchurch.

"It feels fantastic! It has been a few years trying to do this. We have a great team who hung in there all week and it couldn't be better. It highlights once again just how good this format is ... any one of three teams could have won the title in the last round. Long may it [the competitiveness of the event] continue."

Shirley was also proud of the way the Waitangi Golf Club hosted the annual team's event for the golfers aged 40 and over.

"When we heard that Northland was going to host this event, this is the course that we wanted because these guys travel a long way and we wanted it to be memorable. The feedback from the others guys was that the greens are as good as they have played on for a long time, the views were spectacular and the members here have hosted it so well. Waitangi should be very proud."

Two Far North players featured for this year's Northland Masters team, the above-mentioned Shirley (representing the Carrington GC) and Wilson from Waitangi. Also in the side were Iain Power and Grant Campbell.

The 2014 Diners Club Freyberg Masters was hosted by the Waitangi Golf Club Paihia from Monday to Friday, November 3-7.

Established in 1986, the event this year saw 15 teams of five players each contesting the trophy, representing the 15 golfing districts nationwide.

Northland last won the event in 1998, and finished runners-up behind Bay of Plenty in Christchurch last year. For more on the event including daily results, visit the NZ Golf website.

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