With 7.5 points and 28 games, Northland took the honours in the Freyberg Masters (over 40) men's interprovincial at Waitangi yesterday.
Auckland came in second with 7 points and 25.5 games while Aorangi finished third with 6 points and 24.5 games.
It was an exciting climax to the week's golf with Auckland and Aorangi both losing their final matches to let Northland through.
Meanwhile, Otago drew both of its final games yesterday to finish in eleventh place with 3.5 points and 18.5 games.
In the morning, Otago's played Manawatu-Wanganui and took on Southland in the afternoon.
Simon Boland was three down after eight holes after Manawatu-Wanganui No 1 Stu Smith birdied two, three and four.
He won nine and 10 and then returned to square with a birdie on the 12th. Boland's trusty putter helped at the death as he holed 2m putts at 16 and 18 to clinch the half.
In the afternoon, Boland encountered tree trouble on the back nine going down to Southland No 1 Karl Mariu.
No 2 Stephen Hitchcox beat Martin Field in the morning and Southland's Gary Radka in the afternoon.
He won his morning match with the assistance of two birdies on the homeward nine.
In the afternoon, he halved the first six holes in pars and turned one ahead with a birdie on the eighth hole.
Despite a penalty from a hazard at 11, Hitchcox made a par and forged ahead to be dormie three ahead winning on the 16th green.
Gary Creedy returned to No 3 after sitting out Thursday's rounds with a back strain.
He had a close tussle with Tony Chettleburgh in the morning with the Manawatu golfer scraping home on the last hole.
In the afternoon, Creedy halved with Southland veteran Blair Sinclair with a sensational finish. Creedy drove out of bounds at the last hole and looked certain to lose until he sank a 10m putt for a birdie with his second ball to halve the hole and the match.
With Creedy's return, Jeremy Morgan dropped back to No 4 but his winning form deserted him yesterday.
He lost to Mike Arnott in the morning by 4 and 3 and in the afternoon was trailing by three going into the final holes.
In sharp contrast, Kyle Geary relished returning to No 5, beating Rick Harding by a convincing 5 and 3 in the morning.
In the afternoon, he met Southland veteran Paul Adams who is currently celebrating playing golf for Southland for 50 years.
He made his interprovincial debut in 1965 but Geary showed no mercy.
Geary turned one ahead after a birdie two at the ninth but three-putted on the 12th green to return to square.
Geary finished strongly winning 13, 14 and 15 and then chipped in for a birdie to finish the match at 16.