News, results from around Gisborne-East Coast golf courses

Not again . . . Electrinet Park members are once again cursing Mother Nature after Tuesday's storm caused widespread damage, flooding the course, bringing down trees and leaving large branches hanging precariously. The Cochrane Street stretch of road to the course was also covered in branches and surface flooding. The course was closed "until further notice" and is unlikely to reopen for several days. Poverty Bay's Awapuni Links course was also closed due to storm damage described on Facebook by head greenkeeper William Brown as "the worst I've seen in my time here". Brown gave an update on the Awapuni Links Facebook page. He said there were "10-plus trees with their heads down"; a large macrocarpa had fallen by the greenkeeping sheds, "just missing the diesel shed";' "a big tree between the 12th green and men's 13th tee split and is completely down - thank God it narrowly missed the green"; flagsticks had been damaged by the wind; and there were branches down and puddles "everywhere". "When the winds die down, we will thoroughly assess and develop a plan to get the course safe, then the clean-up will begin." The Patutahi course was also closed. Club president Tony Green said one "decent-sized" gum tree and a few other smaller trees fell, and there was a lot of surface flooding. Some residents in the Te Karaka area self-evacuated to the Waikohu Golf Club clubhouse. Photo / Chris Taewa

Poverty Bay

Extra holes, near-misses for one-man bands and a merciless display of matchplay superiority marked round 1 of the Gisborne Motors Barns-Graham Cup men’s pairs on Saturday.

Half of the top-qualifying twosome - Paul Rickard - put up an admirable fight without the services of partner Brad Morgan against 32nd qualifiers George Brown and Alister Jennings.

Rickard, who had a cycle accident-injured Morgan as moral support in his buggy, took them to the 18th where Jennings almost stiffed his approach for birdie to wrap it up. It was Jennings’ third birdie - a 40-foot bomb on the eighth hole proving a punch in the solar plexus for Rickard.

Simon Jeune, possibly the best short-game exponent in the region, was another to fly solo in round 1 after partner Rowan Clark withdrew with Covid. Three-handicapper Jeune rattled off 14 pars against seventh seeds Collin Jeffrey and Chris Taewa, who managed to sneak home on the 18th.

Three matches were decided on an extra hole. Brent Colbert slotted a 20-foot birdie putt on the 10th hole (his 19th) to get himself and Andy Putnam across the line against brothers Mike and Craig Christophers. Andy Hayward and Mark Stewart - the 2021 BG Cup champs - beat Dean Robertson and Carl Carmody on the 19th, as did Stefan Andreassen and Craig Morton against Andy Abrahams and Mike Callaghan.

Frank Ball and Peter Hakiwai established themselves as one of the front-runners in disposing of Endeavour men’s pennants teammates and brothers Kit and Tene Goldsmith 8 and 6.

Glenn Morley and Gray Clapham have a solid record in the BG and added to that with a 5 and 4 dismissal of Waka Donnelly and Mark Norman.

Morley’s younger brother Ross and 1996 winner Craig Palmer (with Dennis Greeks) advanced 4 and 3 over Kurt Summersby and Shaun Boyd while Peter Graham carded 82 off a 16-handicap as he and Willie Mortleman knocked out Pat Butler (78 off an eight) and Hamish Williams 3 and 2.

Other round 1 winners were 2017 champions Neil Mackie and Paul Mullooly; father and son Bill (a two-time BG champ) and Mike Allen; Phil Allan and Chris Shaw; 2023 winner John Van Helden and Glen Udall; Sam Willock and Marty Reynolds; Roger Murphy and John Williams; and dark horses Stephen Francks and Bill Simpson.

Round 2 of the BG and round 1 of the Bryan Cup subsidiary are on Saturday.

Maxine Francois and Birgitt Whyte overcame challenging conditions to win the net title at the OPSM women’s 27-hole foursomes on the Poverty Bay course last Wednesday.

The pair totalled 120 to take the overall honours on countback from club president Miggles Shanks and Gay Young, with Mary Allan and Rosie Willock third on 121.

The 9-hole foursomes net was won by Jenny Williams and Chic Mackie on 38, two shots ahead of Rose Pettigrew and Judy Ngarimu.

SUNDAY - Men’s stableford, division 1: P. Anderson 36, M. Norman 36, J. Leaf 32, M. Jefferson 32.

Division 2: P. Rickard 38, J. Finch 36, R. Norman 36.

Twos: C. Carmody, A. White, D. Patumaka.

Approach: A. White.

SATURDAY - Gisborne Motors Barns-Graham Cup men’s pairs, first round of matchplay: George Brown/Alister Jennings def Paul Rickard/Brad Morgan 2-up; Sam Willock/Marty Reynolds def Stu Harbottle/Bruce Talbot 1-up; John Van Helden/Glen Udall def Tim Sherratt/Peter Humphrey 4 and 3; John Williams/Roger Murphy def Keith Marshall/James Situ 2 and 1; Bill Simpson/Stephen Francks def Phil Grogan/John Kerekere 3 and 2; Chris Shaw/Phil Allan def Murray Smith/Brian Read 5 and 4; Stefan Andreassen/Craig Morton def Andy Abrahams/Mike Callaghan on the 19th; Peter Hakiwai/Frank Ball def Kit Goldsmith/Tene Goldsmith 8 and 6; Ross Morley/Craig Palmer def Kurt Summersby/Shaun Boyd 4 and 3; Peter Graham/Willie Mortleman def Pat Butler/Hamish Williams 3 and 2; Glenn Morley/Gray Clapham def Waka Donnelly/Mark Norman 5 and 4; Mark Stewart/Andy Hayward def Dean Robertson/Carl Carmody on the 19th; Chris Taewa/Collin Jeffrey def Simon Jeune/Rowan Clark 1-up; Neil Mackie/Paul Mullooly def Ross Chalmers/Greg Hawea 4 and 3; Mike Allen/Bill Allen def Barry Brown/Dudley Meadows 4 and 3; Brent Colbert/Andy Putnam def Craig Christophers/Mike Christophers on the 19th.

Twos: P. Rickard, A. Hayward.

Approach: K. Goldsmith

THURSDAY (June 20) - Men’s stableford, division 1: S. Harbottle 37, W. Brown 33, G. Udall 32, M. Thomas 32.

Division 2: K. Goldsmith 34, L. Foster 33, R. Murphy 31, B. Read 30.

Twos: S. Jeune.

Approach: P. Butler.

WEDNESDAY (June 19) - OPSM women’s 27-hole foursomes, 27-hole net: Birgitt Whyte/Maxine Francois 120, on c/b from Miggles Shanks/Gay Young 120, Mary Allan/Rosie Willock 121, Colleen Skuse/Faye Allen 123, Jan Utting/Fay Pell 124, Pen Wanklyn/Megan Allen 124.

9-hole foursomes net: Jenny Williams/Chic Mackie 38, Rose Pettigrew/Judy Ngarimu 40, Leigh Fletcher/Jenny French 41, Jenny Alderson/Pauline Zame 42, Vicky Meade/Jenny Newman 42.

Best third shots: M Francois/B Whyte, M Allen/P Wanklyn, C Mackie/J Williams, V Meade/J Newman.

Best second shots: M Francois/B Whyte, M Allen/P Wanklyn.

The second round of the Gisborne Motors Barns-Graham Cup and first round of the Bryan Cup men’s pairs is on SATURDAY. The draw is -

No 1 tee, 11am: G. Brown/A. Jennings v S. Willock/M. Reynolds. 11.16: B. Simpson/S. Francks v C. Shaw/P. Allan. 11.24: S. Andreassen/C. Morton v P. Hakiwai/F. Ball. 11.32: R. Morley/C. Palmer v P. Graham/W. Mortleman. 11.40: G. Morley/G. Clapham v A. Hayward/M. Stewart. 11.48: C. Jeffrey/C. Taewa v P. Mullooly/N. Mackie. 11.56: B. Allen/M. Allen v B. Colbert/A. Putnam.

No 10 tee, 11am: B. Brown/D. Meadows v C. Christophers/M. Christophers. 11.08: R. Chalmers/G. Hawea v R. Clark/S. Jeune. 11.16: D. Robertson/C. Carmody v W. Donnelly/M. Norman. 11.24: P. Butler/J. Williams v K. Summersby/S. Boyd. 11.32: K. Goldsmith/T. Goldsmith v A. Abrahams/M. Callaghan. 11.40: M. Smith/B. Read v P. Grogan/J. Kerekere. 11.48: K. Marshall/J. Situ v T. Sherratt/P. Humphreys. 11.56: P. Rickard/B. Morgan v B. Talbot/S. Harbottle.

Electrinet Park

Ian Loffler added “the one and only” to the front of his name after a Te Kanawa Cup men’s pairs round 1 matchplay victory he described as “a hell of a battle”.

Loffler had to go it alone in the absence of partner Steve Webb in their match with Jason Devery and Bailey Matoe.

It took 20 holes and all of Loffler’s grit and determination to survive an epic clash for which The Eye of The Tiger would have been an appropriate theme tune.

One-down playing the 18th, Loffler made par to his opponents’ bogey to force extra holes.

A poor tee shot off the first (19th), which hit a tree and dropped near the ladies’ tee, put Loffler on the back foot. He made bogey-6, getting a shot off Devery, and survived when Matoe’s 10-foot putt for victory lipped the hole.

Loffler and Matoe both hit the par-3 second (20th) with their tee shots.

“But Bailey three-putted and I got my par.”

He summed it up succinctly.

“It was a tough battle against two good mates.”

Most of the 16 to advance were decided but a notable absentee were father and son and defending champions Anthony and Shaun Pahina, who fell 6 and 4 to Brad Reynolds and Luke Hayes, who face top qualifiers Dan Collier and Jason Lloyd (round 1 bye) in round 2.

Hayes’ brother Josh and partner Pete Stewart also eased into the second round with a comfortable win over Pete Koorey and Wynne Brown.

The Christophers brothers - Mike and Craig - were eliminated as a combination in the first round of Poverty Bay’s Barns-Graham Cup men’s pairs on Saturday.

Separately, they advanced in the Te Kanawa. Craig and Matt Henwood unleashed a flurry of blows earlyon the back nine in beating Steve Phillips and James Witika 5 and 4 while Mike and Mat Downie played Kelly Spring (partnered with Slade Tiopira) on his own, and beat him on the 13th.

Other round 1 victors were Ray Walford and Derek Craven, Beau Toa and Jett Whitaker, Duane Mauheni and Mason Emery, father and son Waiti and Kymani Tamatea, Junior Akurangi and Tim Beattie, Tony Leggett and Danny Boyle, Heath Tupara and Michael Bond, and Wally Whangapirita and Steve Johnson.

The second round of Te Kanawa Cup and first round of the Fletcher Cup men’s pairs were scheduled for SUNDAY but are unlkely to go ahead due to weather damage to the course. The draw is -

No 1 tee, 8.30am: D. Collier/J. Lloyd v B. Reynolds/L. Hayes. 8.38: R. Walford/D. Craven v M. Christophers/M. Downie. 8.46: B. Toa/J. Whittaker v C. Christophers/M. Henwood. 8.54: S. Webb/I. Loffler v W. Tamatea/K. Tamatea. 9.02: D. Mauheni/M. Emery v J. Akurangi/T. Beattie. 9/10: P. Stewart/J. Hayes v T. Leggett/D. Boyle. 9.18: H. Tupara/M. Bond v winners of round 1 match still to be played. 9.26: W. Whangapirita/S. Johnson v winners of round 1 match still to be played.

No 10, 8.30am: B. Toa/S. Toa v S. Tiopira/K. Spring. 8.38: J. Adams/Z. Lister v J. Witika/S. Phillips. 8.46: B. Matoe/J. Devery v K. Tupara/C. Seymour. 8.54: M. Greeks/B. Holt v P. Wellard/P. Nepia. 9.02: K. Brown/P. Koorey v A. Carrie/G. Lowry. 9.10: W. Muir/C. Fox v losers of round 1 match still to be played. 9.18: C. Aramakutu/S. Fonoti v losers of round 1 match still to be played.

Māhia

Twenty-eight players from as far as Te Puia Hot Springs, Whakatāne and Ngāruawāhia competed in a successful 2024 edition of the Māhia women’s open foursomes on Saturday.

Māhia combo Susy Adam and Paipan Denigan were the overall winners but only just.

Adam and Denigan posted 41 stableford points for the nine holes of foursomes and nine of Canadian foursomes to win on countback from Māhia/Wairoa duo Trena Smith and Maureen Pickles.

Smith and Pickles, however, were named the inaugural winners of the Nau Mai Cup, donated by women’s club captain Renee Hiko, for the best mixed club pair.

Hiko presented the trophy “in the spirit of welcoming and connecting”.

Hiko thanked main sponsor Noeline Ellison, prize sponsors, the men members for their mahi and greenkeeper Bernie Crowley for having the course in great condition despite a challenging week of weather.

Thanks was also extended to all players who travelled to Māhia to support this tournament.

SUNDAY - 9-hole stableford: P Bremner 17, Wayne Wesche14, B Crowley 12, D Waihaki 12.

SATURDAY - Women’s open foursomes stableford tournament (front 9 foursomes/back 9 Canadian foursomes): S. Adam/P. Dennigan with 41, T. Smith/M. Pickles 41, C. Holland/K. Torrez 35, E. Westwood/V. Grace 34, R. Hiko/T. Duncan 33 pts.

Twos: R. Hiko/T. Duncan (2), E. Westwood/V. Grace, A. Campbell/D. Brown.

Hardest working (J. Crowley prize): P. Summersby/C Teave 26

Lucky card: R. Hiko/L. Holmberg.

FRIDAY - Twilight 9-hole stableford. B. Maher 23, P. Dennigan 18, R. Smith 17.

Patutahi

The weather put paid to the finals of two major club trophies at the weekend.

The Te Kani Pere handicap matchplay final between Lindsay Jamieson and Cecil Brown and the McKeague final involving Abbie Davis and Kath McLatchie will be held at a later date.

Sunday play was reduced to a 9-hole competition due to the weather. New golfer Luka Fogarty won with 22 points.

SUNDAY - All-in 9-hole stableford: L, Fogarty 22, G. Brown 18, M. King 18, A. Davis 18.

FRIDAY - Meat pack 9-hole stableford, senior division: A. Blakeman 22, R. Pardoe 20, R. Mottart 19, Beau Toa 18, N. Bunting 17.

Junior division: D. Molloy 19, T. Coutts 19, C. Harris 19, P. Briant 18, W. Bruce 18.

Waikohu

The Waikohu Men’s Open has been postponed again due to this week’s storm.

An update will be posted on the Waikohu Golf Club Facebook page.