Wanganui's Wally Duncan (left) won the Primary Grade event at the North Island Golf Croquet Grade Championships on Saturday, beating Rathkeale College's James Simons. PHOTO/SUPPLIED
There was some strong performances by Manawatu-Wanganui players during Saturday's North Island Golf Croquet Grade Championships, held at the Wanganui and Marton clubs.
In a strong Premier field, where 17 entrants had been New Zealand representatives, Andre Murray and John Wall (Rose Gardens) came fourth and fifth respectively finishing behind three players who had competed internationally.
Wanganui teenager Lachlan Hughes did well to achieve 12th place.
In the Intermediate Grade, Melva Jones (Rose Gardens) was third, while Wally Duncan (Wanganui) won the Primary Grade event.
The Wanganui and Manawatu organisations combined their resources for the championships.
Premier Grade, at Wanganui.
Winner: John Christie (Thames Valley) 15 wins; Runner-up: Tony Stephens (Hawkes Bay) 14 wins.
Individual results: Christie bt Batchelor 7-5, Black 7-2, Broughton 7-5, A Cooke 7-5, D Cooke 7-3, Heapy 7-3, Hughes 7-1, Wall 7-5, Reyland 7-6, T Stephens 7-5, E Stephens 7-3, Vavasour 7-6, Murray 7-5, G Young 7-2, P Young 7-2; T Stephens bt Batchelor 7-3, Black 7-2, Broughton 7-4, A Cooke 7-4, Crashley 7-6, Heapy 7-2, Hughes 7-2, Wall 7-4, Reyland 7-0, E Stephens 7-3, Vavasour 7-4, Murray 7-2, G Young 7-4, P Young 7-3; Mike Crashley (Hawkes Bay) 9 wins +11 bt Black 7-3, Broughton 7-6, Christie 7-5, D, Cooke 7-4, Heapy 7-1, Hughes 7-3, Reyland 7-6, G Young 7-2, P Young 7-3; Andre Murray (Manawatu-Wanganui) 9 wins +10 bt Black 7-5, Broughton 7-1, A Cooke 7-6, D Cooke 7-6, Crashley 7-5, Wall 7-6, Reyland 7-3, G Young 7-2, P Young 7-3; John Wall (M-W) 9 wins +4 bt Batchelor 7-4, Black 7-4, Broughton 7-4, D Cooke 7-5, Crashley 7-6, Heapy 7-4, Hughes 7-5, Reyland 7-0, P Young 7-6; Peter Batchelor (Taranaki) 9 wins +4 bt Broughton 7-4, A Cooke 7-3, D Cooke 7-6, Crashley 7-5, Hughes 7-2, Reyland 7-5, E Stephens 7-3, Murray 7-6, P Young 7-6; Erica Stephens (HB) 9 wins +1 bt Broughton 7-6, D Cooke 7-3, Crashley 7-2, Hughes 7-5, Wall 7-3, Reyland 7-6, Vavasour 7-6, Murray 7-6, P Young 7-4; Ashley Cooke (TV) 8 wins +3 bt Black 7-4, Crashley 7-3, Hughes 7-6, Wall 7-4, Reyland 7-4, E Stephens 7-5, G Young 7-3, P Young 7-3; Geoff Young (TV) 8 wins -5 bt Batchelor 7-2, D Cooke 7-2, Heapy 7-6, Hughes 7-6, Wall 7-2, Reyland 7-4, E Stephens 7-4, Vavasour 7-6; Bill Heapy (Taranaki) 7 wins bt Batchelor 7-6, Broughton 7-5, A Cooke 7-6, Hughes 7-5, E Stephens 7-5, Vavasour 7-1, Murray 7-6; John Broughton (Bay of Plenty) 6 wins -1 bt Black 7-1, A Cooke 7-3, D Cooke 7-3, Vavasour 7-3, G Young 7-6, P Young 7-2; Lachlan Hughes (M-W) 6 wins -13 bt Broughton 7-5, D Cooke 7-5, Reyland 7-6, Vavasour 7-3, Murray 7-3, P Young 7-3; Don Reyland (HB) 6 wins -14 bt Black 7-4, Broughton 7-5, D Cooke 7-6, Heapy 7-2, P Young 7-6; Rollo Vavasour (HB) 6 wins -17 bt Batchelor 7-4, Black 7-5, A Cooke 7-5, Crashley 7-3, Wall 7-4, Murray 7-5; Dallas Cooke (TV) 5 wins -10 bt Black 7-3, A Cooke 7-3, Heapy 7-1, T Stephens 7-5, Vavasour 7-3; Phyllis Young (TV) 5 wins -18 bt Black 7-3, D Cooke 7-4, Heapy 7-4, Vavasour 7-2, G Young 7-4; Robyn Black (BoP) 5 wins -32 bt Batchelor 7-6, Heapy 7-6, Hughes 7-5, Erica Stephens 7-5. G Young 7-4.
Intermediate Grade, at Marton
Winner: Gary Engelen (South Taranaki) 9 wins; Runner-up: George Redpath (Taranaki) 8 wins +16.
Individual results: Engelen bt Powis 7-6, Grant 7-1, Reay 7-3, Pearless 7-3, Symes 7-2, Reyland 7-1, Redpath 7-6, Hughes 7-2, Snelling 7-2; Redpath 8 wins +16 bt Powis 7-4, Grant 7-4, Reay 7-4, Symes 7-4, Reyland 7-1, Jones 6-5, Hughes 7-5, Snelling 7-6; Melva Jones (Manawatu-Wanganui) 8 wins +13 bt Batchelor 7-6, Grant 7-6, Reay 7-6, Pearless 7-5, Reyland 7-2, Hughes 7-5, Snelling 7-5, Engelen 7-4; Sean Pearless (Wairarapa) 7 wins +11 bt Batchelor 7-3, Powis 7-2, Grant 7-3, Reay 7-4, Reyland 7-5, Redpath 7-3, Snelling 7-4; Jayne Powis (Hawkes Bay) 7 wins +8 bt Batchelor 7-5, Reay 7-2, Symes 7-4, Reyland 7-6, Jones 7-5, Hughes 7-4, Snelling 7-2; Eddie Symes (M-W) 6 wins bt Batchelor 7-5, Reay 7-6, Reyland 7-6, Jones 7-6, Snelling 7-3; Margaret Snelling (M-W) 5 wins -5 bt Batchelor 7-6, Grant 7-1, Reay 7-4, Reyland 7-4, Hughes 7-5; Lynette Grant (HB) 5 wins -9 bt Batchelor 7-5, Powis 7-3, Symes 7-6, Hughes 7-3, Reyland 7-3, Nola Batchelor (T) 4 wins -6 bt Reay 7-5, Redpath 7-6, Hughes 7-3, Engelen 7-4; Rachel Hughes (M-W) 4 wins -9 bt Reay 7-4, Pearless 7-4, Symes 7-4, Reyland 7-3; Chris Reay (M-W) 2 wins bt Grant 7-3, Reyland 7-4; Annette Reyland (HB) 1 win bt Batchelor 7-3.
Primary Grade, at Wanganui
Winner: Wally Duncan (Manawatu-Wanganui) 7 wins; Runner-up: James Simons (Wairarapa) 6 wins +13.
Individual results: Duncan bt Oliver 7-3, Owen 7-4, 7-6, Marsh 7-6, Charlton 7-2, 7-4, Simons 7-6; Simons bt Oliver 7-4, 7-3, Duncan 7-4, Owen 7-1, Marsh 7-6, Charlton 7-5; Adam Marsh (Taranaki) 6 wins +11 bt Oliver 7-1, Duncan 7-5, Owen 7-2, 7-4, Charlton 7-6, Simons 7-6; Max Charlton (M-W) 4 wins -5 bt Oliver 7-5, Owen 7-5, Marsh 7-3, Simons 7-6; Rex Oliver (M-W) 4 wins -17 bt Duncan 7-6, Owen 7-4, Marsh 7-6, Charlton 7-5; Anne Owen (M-W) 3 wins bt Oliver 7-3, Simons 7-4, Charlton 7-6.