Rob Maruszewski studies the line of his putt during the senior men's club championship final at Poverty Bay Golf Club. He went on to beat Waka Donnelly 10 and 9. Photo / Paul Rickard
Rob Maruszewski studies the line of his putt during the senior men's club championship final at Poverty Bay Golf Club. He went on to beat Waka Donnelly 10 and 9. Photo / Paul Rickard
Rob Maruszewski is keen to play representative golf and selectors’ welcoming arms will be widely spread after his supreme performance in the senior men’s club championship final on Saturday.
South African and top qualifier Maruszewski was a class above Waka Donnelly in the 36-hole matchplay final, which only went to the 27th.
Donnelly won the first hole with a par after his opponent three-putted, but after Maruszewski made birdie-two to win the second, then won the next two holes with pars, Donnelly was always in the rear-view mirror.
It helps when you can hit the ball 300 metres plus, and Maruszewski’s power off the tee was head-shakingly impressive at times. A De Chambeau-like blow down the 475m par-five fifth fairway, which required only a seven-iron in for his second, was particularly memorable.
But the standout part of his game was at the other end. Maruszewski’s short game was A+. He made nearly every short putt, a few longer ones as well and several up-and-downs.
The birdie on the second was followed by birdies on the other two par-threes – the sixth and 11th – in the first 18 holes, earning him membership to an elite band of players who have made twos on all par-threes at the Bay in the one round.
For good measure, he made a two on the second again in the afternoon round.
His only blemish came on the seventh hole, when he drove out of bounds – having done the same in the semifinals.
It was a minor setback for the Captain Cook Motor Lodge manager, who had been playing predominantly only nine holes in his spare time before getting back into 18 holes proper in May.
He won the ninth to go 3-up, made three consecutive birdies from 10 to 12, and nearly holed his second on the 18th to shoot four-under 32 for the back nine and go into a short lunch break 7-up.
That became 9-up after winning the 20th and 21st, and 10-up with his birdie on the 23rd.
Donnelly finally made his first birdie of the day – on the 26th – only for his opponent to match it.
When the pair shook hands on the 27th (ninth hole), Maruszewski had played the last 20 holes seven-under.
Donnelly, who won the senior title 36 years ago, was disappointed in his own game but acknowledged the quality of Maruszewski’s play.
“He played exceptional golf.”
Maruszewski has indicated his interest in making the Tairāwhiti team for the national interprovincial, depending on his work. He is also hoping to play in the Emerre and Hathway Poverty Bay Men’s Open from September 19-21.
Rob Maruszewski hits his second shot on the par-five first hole at Poverty Bay's Awapuni Links course in afternoon play in the senior men's club championship final.
In the other Liquorland club championship 18-hole finals, Tene Goldsmith added the intermediate crown to his 2010 senior title.
The “Goldie One” had eight pars in the opening nine holes against Richard Foon, birdied the 10th, then won the next three holes for a 6 and 5 victory.
Bill Simpson finished like Kiwi in the 1983 Melbourne Cup in the junior final. In a seesaw battle with Hamish Williams, which saw the pair walk off the 13th hole all square, Simpson parred the next three – helped by Williams putting his second on the 15th out of bounds – for a 3 and 2 win.
The endeavour final was a friendly affair. Peter Goodwin and Simon Lardelli shared a cart but it was one-way traffic as Lardelli won 5 and 4.
“He played well and I played very ordinary,” Goodwin said.
SUNDAY – Men’s Stableford, division 1: A. Pahina 38, M. Norman 37, J. Van Helden 37, B. Talbot 37.
Division 2: R. Gibson 41, P. Rickard 40, D. Robertson 39, K. Travers 39.
TUESDAY – Veterans’ Stableford: E. Parkin 39, S. Phillips 38.
THURSDAY (Sept 5) – Veterans’ net: J. White 66, E. Parkin 68.
Hukanui Brown won his sixth consecutive senior men's club championship crown at the Patutahi course on Sunday. Photo / Paul Rickard
Patutahi
Hukanui Brown’s reign will head into a seventh year after seeing off the latest pretender to the senior men’s club championship throne with ruthless efficiency on Sunday.
No 1 seed Brown beat No 2 Dwayne Russell 10 and 9 in the 36-hole matchplay final and there were no complaints from the vanquished.
“Too strong... he was solid, all credit [to him]... it was an honour to play with him,” Russell said.
That praise came after Brown threw 12 birdies at Russell, eight of those in the first 18 holes in shooting six-under 64 and heading into the halftime break 6-up.
It was the sixth consecutive senior title and seventh all-up for Brown.
In contrast to the senior decider, the intermediate men’s final proved a tight encounter as Pat Malloy prevailed over Tom Brodie on the 35th hole.
Korban Harrison-Allen put an exclamation mark on his top seeding in the junior final, dominating teenager Watene Brown to win 7 and 6.
Chris Kaa chose an opportune time to record his best round at Patutahi in his first season at the club,
Kaa hit endeavour final opponent Ian Tietjen like a runaway train in a 7 and 5 demolition in their 18-hole match.
Kaa also won the junior men’s Stableford with 90-29-61, for 45 points.
Abbie Davis is trending nicely after winning the intermediate women’s final. Davis won the junior title last year and beat club stalwart Helen Pomana on Sunday to move up the pecking order.
Denise Johnston beat Shelley Robertson for the senior honours while Charlie Holland defeated Lou Kriel in the junior final.
SUNDAY – Men’s Stableford, senior division: B. McKenzie 37, H. Brown 37, P. Molloy 36, J. Brown 36.
Junior division: C. Kaa 45, W. Stevens 38, S. Fookes 38, D. Quinn 37.
FRIDAY – Meat pack nine-hole Stableford, senior men: B. Howard 19, A. Nimmo 19, M. King 19, G. Tattersfield 18.
Junior men: W. Stevens 22, S, Mohlmann 20, Kymani Tamatea 19, S. Fookes 19.
Women: A. Davis 17.
Te Puia Hot Springs
Former Poverty Bay-East Coast representative Bill Clark turned back the clock with a two-treble club championship match win and Stableford victory on Sunday.
Clark beat Mike Aurupa in their intermediate men’s clash. His round of 79-13-66 featured twos on the sixth, ninth and 16th holes, and his 36 points won the men’s Stableford.
In other intermediate men’s matches, Daryl Goldsmith beat Nehe Dewes and Eruera West beat Peter Ngarimu.
SUNDAY – Drawn Canadian foursomes Stableford: S. Ritchie/P. Rutene 44, R. Reeves/C. Ruru 40, T. Reeves/l.C. Te Rito 38, L. Green/V. Grace 37.
COMING UP: SATURDAY, Waikohu open closing tournament, 11am tee-off; SUNDAY, club competition.
Mahia
The Stockies and Cockies Golf Day nine-hole ambrose is being held tomorrow – 1pm tee-off. Inquiries to Pete Bremner (06) 837-7456.
COMING UP: Nov 1-3, Fiordland Lobster men’s 36-hole open tournament, nine-hole haggle on the Friday, gross, net and teams’ event on Saturday, Stableford on Sunday, 7.30am and 11.30am tee-offs, inquiries to Maraea Wesche 0272-292-342 or mwesche@gmail.com.
