Electrinet Park 1 faces tough battle in Oligoi Jug golf semifinals race

Poverty Bay's Quin McPike has won all six of his matches so far in the Oligoi Jug men's interclub pennants. Photo / Paul Rickard

The mark of a champion is winning after being knocked to the floor.

If Electrinet Park (1) go on to successfully defend the Oligoi Jug men’s interclub pennants title, they will remember the blow they took at Patutahi Golf Club on Saturday and how they responded.

After dramatic rounds 5 and 6 at the Tahi, three teams sealed their places in the semifinals at the Electrinet Park course this Sunday.

Park (1) is not one of them.

Patutahi (1), Poverty Bay and Te Puia Hot Springs have the luxury of no pressure in the final round of round-robin play. Tahi (1) and the Bay are top of the table on 33 points apiece while the Springs are on 32. They cannot be caught by the teams placed fifth to eighth.

Park (1) are fourth on 27, so are not out of the woods as they could be overtaken by Tolaga Bay, who are on 23.

Plus, Park (1) have tough Round 7 opponents in Poverty Bay. Tolaga Bay face Patutahi (2),sitting at the bottom of the table.

It makes for a couple of absorbing duels this weekend and the pressure cooker is sure to be on high at the pointy end of matches.

Te Puia Hot Springs, without their spearhead William Brown, did a fine job beating Park (1) 6-2 in Round 5 on Saturday morning on a Patutahi course in great nick, particularly the speedy, testing greens.

The Springs’ Māhia import, left-hander Wade Wesche, took down previously unbeaten Dan Collier 2 and 1 while Tony Akroyd’s first Oligoi appearance of the 2024 series yielded a 3 and 2 defeat of Pete Stewart. John Wyllie beat Ian Loffler while Matt Henwood’s 3 and 2 victory over Thomas Donovan saved Park (1) from what would have been a stunning whitewash.

Patutahi (1) were always going to be a formidable challenge on home fairways. They put away Poverty Bay 6-2 although the result of note was Bay player Quin McPike’s 12th-hole demo job on Regan Hindmarsh. That made five wins from five pennants matches for McPike and he won comfortably in the afternoon as well to be the only player with a perfect six-from-six.

Patutahi (2) proved a stumbling block to Waikohu’s top-four chances. Honours were shared 4-all, Tahi (2)’s efforts highlighted by 18th-hole wins to Jon Priestley and Hamish Harris.

Tolaga Bay needed big points to stay in semifinals contention. They started in style with a 6-2 triumph over Park (2), top-of-the-order players Taine Lincoln and Bruce Yates leading the way again. Yates won both his matches on the day but a 4-all Round 6 draw with Waikohu dented their semi hopes.

Meanwhile, Park (1) got off the ground from their Springs beating, brushed themselves off and overcame the powerhouse Patutahi (1) 5-3.

Collier’s 2 and 1 win against recent course-record-breaker Hukanui Brown was a major factor and Loffler provided a vital and perhaps coming-of-age 1-up win over Hindmarsh. Dwayne Russell was Patutahi’s player of the day. He won both his matches and while they suffered the Round 6 team loss, Patutahi certainly signalled their intentions to win back the title of Tairāwhiti’s top men’s club.

Park (2) had cause to celebrate after a 5-3 Round 6 conquering of Patutahi (2) in the cellar-dweller clash. Teenager Marcus Gray was their star with two wins, including a whitewash-saver in their morning loss to Tolaga Bay.

Other performances of note included an emphatic Round 5 win to Tolaga Bay new member Richard Paora; Rios Moleta swapping camps from Patutahi to Poverty Bay and winning his Round 6 match against Te Puia’s Wyllie; two wins at the top of the Waikohu order for David Solomann; Patutahi (1)’s Shayde Skudder continuing his unbeaten run.

Results, Round 5 - Patutahi (1) 6 Poverty Bay 2 (Patutahi names first): Dwayne Russell def David Situ 2 and 1; Regan Hindmarsh lost to Quin McPike 7 and 6; Shayde Skudder def Zach Rolls 5 and 4; Eddie Brown Jr def Rios Moleta 5 and 4.

Tolaga Bay 6 Electrinet Park (2) 2: Taine Lincoln def Craig Christophers 5 and 4; Bruce Yates def Bailey Matoe 2 and 1; Tim Adamson lost to Marcus Gray 1-down; Richard Paora def Anthony Pahina 5 and 4.

Te Puia Springs 6 Park (1) 2: Wade Wesche def Dan Collier 2 and 1; Tony Akroyd def Pete Stewart 3 and 2; Thomas Donovan lost to Matt Henwood 3 and 2; John Wyllie def Ian Loffler 2 and 1.

Patutahi (2) 4 Waikohu 4: Jace Brown lost to David Solomann 1-down; Silas Brown lost to Terry Reeves 4 and 3; Jon Priestley def Ethine Reeves 1-up; Hamish Harris def Percy Milner 2-up

Round 6 - Electrinet Park (2) 5 Patutahi (2) 3 (Park names first): Craig Christophers lost to Jace Brown 6 and 5; Bailey Matoe def Chris Beattie 4 and 3; Anthony Pahina halved with Jon Priestley; Marcus Gray def Hamish Harris 4 and 3.

Tolaga Bay 4 Waikohu 4: Taine Lincoln lost to David Solomann 4 and 3; Bruce Yates def Mike Christophers 3 and 2; Tim Adamson halved with Terry Reeves; Richard Paora halved with Percy Milner.

Park (1) 5 Patutahi (1) 3: Dan Collier def Hukanui Brown 2 and 1; Pete Stewart halved with Eddie Brown Jr; Matt Henwood lost to Dwayne Russell 2 and 1; Ian Loffler def Regan Hindmarsh 1-up.

Poverty Bay 5 Te Puia Hot Springs 3: David Situ halved with Tony Akroyd; Quin McPike def Wade Wesche; Reece Witters lost to Thomas Donovan 6 and 4; Rios Moleta def John Wyllie 1-up.

Standings: Poverty Bay 33, Patutahi (1) 33, Te Puia Hot Springs 32, Electrinet Park (1) 27, Tolaga Bay 23, Waikohu 19, Park (2) 15, Patutahi (2) 10.