Golf: Overseas threat to Hawkes

The women's matchplay golf champion faces classy opposition in defence of her title at Huapai, reports BOB PEARCE.

Wendy Hawkes had to beat three overseas golfers to win the women's national matchplay championship last year and she may have to repeat that feat if she is to retain the crown at the Huapai Golf Club this week.

The 23-year-old former Titirangi player, who is now based in Central Otago, accounted for Australians Nadina Taylor and Nikki Campbell and finally Malaysian Ai Lian Lim at Shirley in Christchurch.

Taylor and Lim are back for another shot at the title with two other Malaysians and three other Australians, including last year's top qualifier, Carlie Butler, from New South Wales.

Hawkes, whose twin sister, Angela, is also a contender, is quietly confident about her form coming into the tournament, which begins with two rounds of strokeplay qualifying tomorrow.

"I've been working on my swing and everything's beginning to come together," she said yesterday.

"I missed out on the New Zealand team for the Espirito Santo in Germany, but I'll be trying hard for the Tasman Cup and the Queen Sirikit next year."

From the team who represented New Zealand in Germany, only Taupo golfer Tina Howard will be playing at Huapai.

Brenda Ormsby has turned professional and Debbie Smith broke her ankle last weekend.

Howard has opted to finish her scholarship at Louisiana State University after two-and-a-half years, during which she was ranked in the top 25 college players in the United States.

"I learnt a lot and it was an awesome experience, but I missed my family and contact with my coach," she said.

Back in New Zealand for the first time in nine years will be Alison Eather, seven-times Huapai club champion from 1975-1982.

She won the New Zealand strokeplay championship in 1978.

Since 1986 she has lived in Western Australia, where she was state champion in 1996 and reached the quarter-finals of the Australian championship this year.

The Huapai course, 24km north-west of Auckland, opened in 1938 and was developed partly on what had been a night cart farm.

The new layout is mainly flat and tree-lined, with a women's championship length of 5353m and a par of 72.

After two rounds of qualifying tomorrow, the top 32 will play for the championship over 18 holes of matchplay.

The final on Sunday will be over 36 holes.