Back-to-back birdies by Hamish Ireland on the final two holes gave him a half with Tyrone Ratahi and prevented the embarrassment of the Otago A team losing to its B team in a catch-up match at Balmacewen on Saturday.
It was a close tussle with five of the six games finishing on the final green with Otago A winning by the narrowest of margins - 3.5 to 2.5.
Gregor Croudis (Otago A), who stood in for his injured brother, Duncan, was the only player to win before the final hole, beating Luke Geddes (Otago B) by 2 and 1.
Thomas Facer, Michael Smith and Croudis had finished their rounds posting wins for the club's top team.
John McIntee and Grant Mercer made it 3 to 2 with wins for Otago B while Ireland trailed Ratahi by one with two holes to play.
The teams started off the 10th tee and Balmacewen's senior champion fought back with a birdie three on the eighth hole.
But Ratahi was equal to the task and sank his putt for a birdie three to halve the hole.
Ireland's approach to the final green finished within a metre of the cup and he dropped the putt to get back to square and tip the contest in the A team's favour.
Otago A is now tied with St Clair on five points but Otago A is in second place with a lower game tally of 11 compared with 13 for St Clair.
