When he tees off in the Otago strokeplay championship this morning, Scott Hellier (Gore) will be favoured to take home the main House of Travel Tour prize voucher, valued at $1250.
The Southland No 1 set the pace by winning the Canterbury strokeplay title with a total of 284 on the Templeton course last weekend.
The male who posts the lowest eight-round total for the two provincial events wins the top prize. The best woman will receive a $750 voucher and a further $500 will go to the best under-19 male.
The initiative has given the two events a higher profile and this year’s Otago field has 30 more entrants than in 2016.Tom Parker (Christchurch) and Hiroki Miya (Russley) are likely to fight it out for the under-19 voucher, having finished on 292 and 297 respectively last weekend.
Many of the leading Otago golfers did not compete in the Christchurch event and will not be eligible for the prize vouchers.
They were attending the wedding of Otago No 2 Brandon Hodgson, who will be one of the Otago favourites on his home course this weekend.
The men, under-19 and women golfers will compete over 72 holes, while the 15 masters (over-40) players will play one round each day.
Otago men’s reserve Ryan Bellamy (St Clair) was the leading Otago golfer in Christchurch, with a four-round total of 300, one shot ahead of Joseph Hancock (Otago).
