Too many missed fairways cost Otago dearly and the driving will need to improve when the team plays Aorangi and Waikato today.
Tasman was the only South Island team to win in the first round, with Canterbury going down to Taranaki, Aorangi to Waikato and Southland to the Bay of Plenty.
Otago No 1 Brent McEwan took an early lead turning 2-up and then going three ahead of Tasman's Blair Riordan with a two-putt birdie 4 at the 10th.
Riordan made a birdie two at the 11th and the pair halved the next five holes to put McEwan 2-up with two to play.
A pulled drive led to a lost ball at the 17th and, when McEwan failed to par the final hole, Riordan snatched the half.
Otago No 2 Andrew Hobbs was behind from the outset when Hamish Campbell drove the first green and then birdied the third from an almost unplayable position.
Hobbs went through the green to bogey the fourth and went four behind when he drove into a hazard on the next hole.
Hobbs then looked in control from tee to green, reducing the margin to three with a birdie four at the 10th.
Campbell was relentless, recovering well and holing putts to ensure the win.
Tyrone Ratahi and Tasman No 3 Tom Dasler played a very tight game with no more than one in it until Dasler won the 12th to lead by two.
Ratahi won the 14th to reduce this margin and sank a difficult 10m birdie putt for a three at the 16th to get back to square.
Dasler made an impressive up and down on the final hole while Ratahi chipped close but missed the putt to lose the match.
On debut, No 4 Chris Snow faced a baptism of fire when Nick Ludbrook birdied the first three holes to take a commanding lead.
Snow battled hard getting back to 2-down after 10 holes but three-putts on the 12th and 13th greens cost him any chance of a win.
Simon Hollyer was named as the team reserve but started at No 5 in the place of Mitch Bosley and made his mark as the only Otago winner.
He was never down against Nick Loach, taking the early lead and winning seven and nine to turn 3-up.
Loach retaliated with wins at 12 and 13 but Hollyer made a birdie three on the 16th to go dormie 2-up.
The match ended on the following hole when Hollyer played his best shot of the day, pitching to within a metre of the 17th hole.
