BOP fancy chances at national tournament

IN FORM: Bay of Plenty representative Landyn Edwards is in good form ahead of the Toro New Zealand Men's Interprovincial in Hamilton. PHOTO/STEPHEN PARKER

BAY of Plenty will look to take their winning momentum from the SBS Invitational in Invercargill into the up-coming Toro New Zealand Men's Interprovincial.

The men's interprovincial competition runs from Tuesday until next Saturday at the Hamilton Golf Club, attracting the best amateur golfers in the country.

Bay of Plenty last won the competition in 2012 and are in good form to do it again this year.

Bay of Plenty's Hayden Beard said their win in Invercargill recently was a good bonding experience for the team.

"The boys played really well down there and a couple of them really stepped up which is great with the Toro coming up," said the 24-year-old from the Mount Maunganui Golf Club.

Rotorua's Landyn Edwards is in good form for Bay of Plenty after finishing second overall in the individual honours at the SBS Invitational in Invercargill.

Meanwhile, Manawatu/Wanganui are the team to beat next week after ending a 49-year drought last year when they won the Toro Men's Interprovincial at the North Shore Golf Club.

Now they are looking to give one of their best the perfect send-off to the professional ranks.

Joshua Munn, the province's No1, is likely to turn professional next year and he would love nothing more than being part of the first Manawatu/Wanganui team to defend the title since 1954-55, in his final amateur event.

"This tournament has always been important for me.

"You are representing your district at the highest level and being able to play with these guys that I have grown up with is always pretty special," he said.

It is the first time the event has been staged at the Hamilton Golf Club since 1999.

The format of the competition sees the top five players from the 15 provinces competing in seven rounds of teams' matchplay.