Sponsor digs deeper for pro am event

Organisers of last weekend's DHL Global Forwarding and Recreational Services Masterton Eketahuna pro am golf tournament for 2012 have just received excellent news.

This year's major sponsors have confirmed they will take up that role next year and extend their sponsorship to include a new $1500 prize for the leading professional.

Former Wairarapa-Bush rugby representative Phil Rutene wasn't listed as one of the star acts at the latest tournament but he still managed to grab some of the limelight by registering a hole-in-one at the par three 13th hole at the Masterton club's Lansdowne course.

Rutene was one of a large number of amateur players participating in the event, alongside a group of professionals led home by Taranaki's Grant Moorhead, who followed a 63 at Eketahuna on Saturday with a 64 at Masterton on Sunday.

He had two shots to spare from Auckland rookie Ryan Fox, who had scores of 65 and 64, while third, with rounds of 70 and 66, was Troy Ropiha of Taupo.

The competition for top amateur team was hotly contended with the Why Shearing line-up of Lawrence Aspinall, Regan Duffy and Gary Marenzi, who were partnered by professional Dean Sipson, having a 13pt lead after Eketahuna.

However, they faded to third after 18 holes at Masterton, finishing behind two teams who both finished on a combined score of 247.

Taking the honours on countback were the Parry Matthews and Associates line-up and second were the Watermart Roofing team.

Team results were: 247, Parry Matthews and Associates (Bruce McCluskey, Craig Bowyer, Jamie Smith and Jim Cusdin) and Watermart Roofing (Steve Hemingway, Ewen MacDonald, Paul Fouhy and Grant Moorhead); 245, Why Shearing (Lawrence Aspinall, Regan Duffy, Gary Marenzi, Dean Sipson); 243, Rabobank (Pam Lochore, Darin Horiki, Trevor Smith and Doug Holloway); 242, Trust House (Paul Armstrong, Syd Morgan, Alan Cockrell and Andrew Gurney); 240, All Stars (Sam-Maree Brown, Alan Ewington, Hira Renata and Gareth Paddison); 239, Pacific Hygiene (Lynne Sutherland, Jim Sutherland, John Duffy and Jared Pender); 238, Farmlands (Alan Williams, Daryl Hart, Paul Hurley and Christian Cullen); 237, Pea Straw Man (Susan Rutene, Phil Rutene, Peith Calder and Jamie McIsaac).

All Black rugby great Christian Cullen entertained a packed Masterton clubhouse on Friday night, where he spoke of his experiences with the Fight For Life promotion, the ABs and winning a Commonwealth Games gold medal with the national sevens squad.