The St Clair trio of the senior, intermediate and junior club champions scored a total of 91 gross stableford points to win the Otago provincial champion of champions title at Balclutha yesterday.
The team finished four points ahead of the Balmacewen team led by John McIntee to take its second team title this year.
One month after beating Otago in the metropolitan men’s senior A pennant series, St Clair inflicted another defeat over Otago which has dominated this event in recent years.
Senior champion Ryan Bellamy was instrumental in his team’s success, scoring a sizeable total of 42 points, which is the equivalent of a 6-under-par round.
Bellamy’s return to form is timely on the eve of a series of trials to select the Otago men’s team for the interprovincial tournament in New Plymouth in December.
Bellamy was supported by Derek Elliot with 26 points while junior champion John Ferguson amassed a tidy 23 points to ensure the win.
McIntee also played sub-par golf, carding 39 points which augurs well for his form in the masters (over-40) trials.
Arrowtown finished third two points back from Otago with intermediate champion Mick Druett carding an impressive 32 points.
The small Clinton club came fourth while Queenstown was a further shot back on 76 points.
