Despite having a bye yesterday afternoon, Auckland has 5.5 points and 23 games to lead the field in the Freyberg Masters (over-40) tournament which concludes on the Chisholm Links today.
Yesterday morning’s round was notable for surprises, with Northland beating Wellington, the small Poverty Bay province beating Manawatu-Wanganui, and Otago posting its second win, 3 to 2, over Canterbury.
The loss harmed the Wellington team which drops to third, while Canterbury, with 4.5 points and 20 games, is in fourth place and most likely out of the running.
Otago continued its winning form, beating Taranaki by 3.5 to 1.5 in the afternoon, giving the team three points and 16 games and lifting the team from 10th to eighth.
Bay of Plenty No3 Blair Murdock is the only golfer to win all of his games after six matches and he is on target to be named the player of the tournament. There are five other players who are unbeaten going into the final two rounds and Murdock needs to beat James Robb (Canterbury) and Nick Radonich (Hawke’s Bay) today to claim the honour.
Reserve Steve Horn led the way at No5, winning the final hole to get Otago’s first game in beating Canterbury’s Aaron Forsyth.
Gary Creedy, at No4, trailed for most of the round but hung in, eventually losing to Richard Belcher.Otago No3 Peter Rae had another tight game which was square for most of the round but he finished well to beat James Robb on the final green.
Previously unbeaten, Otago No2 Stephen Hitchcox found himself three down with six holes to play after losing three holes on the trot.
He fought back but ran out of holes, giving an unbeaten Andrew Dufton a narrow win on the final green.
At 2-2, the result hinged on Otago No1 Andrew Hobbs who took an early lead but after 12 holes was back to square.
Hobbs was dormie one ahead playing the final hole and he made a great up-and-down from an almost impossible position to clinch the deciding match.
In the afternoon round against Taranaki, Creedy stood down with John McIntee returning to the playing quintet at No4. Both Horn and McIntee posted 3 and 2 wins while at No3, Rae had another tight game, this time losing to Michael Sharp on the final green.
Hitchcox was two ahead with two holes to play but Taranaki’s Colin Heyes won them both to tie the match. Once again the outcome required a good finish by Hobbs who was two down with four holes to play. The match looked set for a 2.5-all draw until Hobbs birdied 15 and 17 to be square playing the final hole. Taranaki’s Aarun Langton drove into the marram grass on the 18th and after recovering could make only a par-4 at best. Hobbs drove through the green from where he made another match-winning pitch for a birdie 3 to win one up.
Today’s draw
Morning
First tee: 7.30am: Southland v Taranaki.
8.05am: Otago v Northland.
Seventh tee: 7.30am: Aorangi v North Harbour.
8.05am: Canterbury v Bay of Plenty.
Thirteenth tee: 7.30am: Wellington v Waikato.
8.05am: Hawke’s Bay v Auckland.
Byes: Tasman, Manawatu-Wanganui and Poverty Bay.
Afternoon
First tee: 12.30pm: Tasman v Poverty Bay.
1.05pm: North Harbour v Waikato.
1.40pm: Canterbury v Auckland.
Seventh tee: 12.30pm: Manawatu-Wanganui v Taranaki.
1.05pm: Bay of Plenty v Hawke’s Bay.
Thirteenth tee: 12.30pm: Wellington v Aorangi.
1.05pm: Otago v Southland.
Bye: Northland.
