Ring and Raj going for Interprovincial glory

Tara Raj during the New Zealand Stroke Play Championship tournament.

Wanganui Golf Club's Tara Raj and Castlecliff Golf Club's Hayden Ring will be chasing national honours when the 2017 Toro Interprovincial tournaments get underway in Northland next week.

The Sherwood Park and Mangawhai Golf Club will co-host the team golf events, as for the first time they will be playing over the same week, as the five day women's tournament starts on Monday, and the men's begins on Tuesday.

Raj is the No2 for her Manawatu-Wanganui team, having held the No1 spot last year while Levin's Brydie Hodge was away studying in the United States.

Ring will be the No4 player for the men's team, and is the sole survivor from the 2013 squad that won the championship.

Hayden Ring in action on the Castlecliff course.

Home team Northland will be led by Luke Brown, who has attended the Asia-Pacific Amateur and NSW Open this year.

However, the big favourite will be defending champions Wellington, whose lineup includes two-time New Zealand Amateur champion Daniel Hillier, his Asia-Pacific Amateur teammate Kerry Mountcastle, and the experienced Jono Cane, who played No2 last year and now covers No5.

In the women's draw, Auckland will be looking for their seventh title in just nine years.

The in-form Rose Zheng will lead from the front after making the New Zealand Amateur final, where she fell short to 14-year-old Silvia Brunotti, who is No1 for her North Harbour side.

Canterbury and Bay of Plenty have been recent contenders of the title, but face some adversity after losing key members this year.

Manawatu-Wanganui will start against North Harbour on Monday morning, followed by Northland in the afternoon.

Tuesday is Auckland then Wellington, followed by the bye Wednesday morning and then Aorangi.

They will play Taranaki on Thursday morning before the finals begin in the afternoon.

In the men's draw, Manawatu Wanganui are drawn in the eight-team Division 1, with seven teams in Division 2.

They start on Tuesday against Bay of Plenty, followed by the afternoon bye, then Wednesday is Waikato and Northland.

On Thursday they meet Wellington then Tasman, then Friday morning is Auckland, followed by the finals.

The teams are
Manawatu Wanganui Men: 1. Regan McConaghty; 2. Guy Perry; 3. Liam Finlayson; 4. Hayden Ring; 5. Greg Shaw. Reserve: Cory Higgs. Manager: Boy Manunui.

Manawatu Wanganui Women: 1. Brydie Hodge; 2. Tara Raj; 3. Lily Griffin; 4. Mudra Lakhani; 5. Tania Hook. Reserve: Jill Hall. Manager: Judy Seccombe.