Defending champions Bay of Plenty and last year's runners-up Canterbury yesterday made impressive starts to the New Zealand women's inter-provincial team golf tournament at Napier Golf Club.
After morning byes, both completed clean sweeps in the afternoon with Bay of Plenty beating Manawatu-Wanganui and Canterbury taking all five
games against Otago.
The real shock came in the first round when last year's beaten semi-finalists, Auckland and North Harbour, were both beaten, 3-2. Auckland's top two, Dasom Lee and Larissa Eruera, came to the last hole on-up on their Tasman opponents and only one needed to halve the hole for Auckland to secure a draw. However, both conceded after striking tree troubles and Tasman celebrated a shock result. Northland was the only team to have two wins in section one, while Bay of Plenty won its only match. Tasman was grounded by Wellington.
In section two, Waikato and Southland had dual wins while Canterbury won its one contest.
Bay of Plenty was untroubled with the bottom four games all decided at the 16th or before, but No 1, international Penny Smith, 4 up at the turn, was taken to the last green by Amy Smith.
The Manawatu-Wanganui No 1 won 10, 11, and 12 to get back to square and she played the back nine in three-under par, but her opponent protected her 1 up advantage.
Canterbury had only No 4 Rachel Thow behind after five holes and the most experienced member of that team put it to good stead over the final holes, coming from 2 down after 13 to win at the last.
