Zoe-Beth Brake will lead the Bay of Plenty team. Photo / Rotorua Daily Post
Auckland women golfers will be happy if the sun returns this week but they will be even happier if they can break a 10-year drought.
Despite winning the national interprovincial teams championship a record 18 times in its 60-year history, Auckland have not won the trophy since their 1999 victory
at Mt Maunganui.
When this year's lineup was announced after the provincial championships at Whitford Park, the omens looked promising for this week's contest at The Grange course in Papatoetoe.
But since then Tania Tare, a semifinalist in the national matchplay championship, has headed to the United States and the experienced Jane Lee, a winner in the final last year, has pulled out because of exam commitments.
Cecilia Cho, the remarkable 14-year-old who won the national matchplay title at Titirangi and has notched 14 other victories in the past six months, remains at number one. Emily Eng halved her game in last year's final, but in a contest for teams of five, the less-experienced supporting players are just as important.
Waikato showed combativeness to come from behind to win at Nelson and they head north with four of that winning team, Emily Perry, Erin Hawe, Charlotte Brooks and Hanna Seifert.
The last time this tournament came to the Auckland district, North Harbour won at Titirangi in their debut year, with a team whose average age was nearer 30 than 13. This time number one Lydia Ko is 12 and already a tournament veteran.
Also returning are former number one Rica Tse and Faye-Amy Nickson, runner-up to Cho in the Auckland provincials.
Bay of Plenty, prolific winners of the title, will be led by national strokeplay champion Zoe-Beth Brake and last year's surprise semifinalists Northland will have Caroline Bon at number one.
