Tautari inconsistent touch to claim both 36-hole tournaments

Mat Tautari. PHOTO: ODT FILES
Mat Tautari. PHOTO: ODT FILES
Southland No1 Matt Tautari showed admirable consistency to win both major Otago tournaments at the weekend.

Tautari claimed the division one title at the Lakes District 36-hole strokeplay at the Arrowtown club on Saturday, and backed up with victory in the Cromwell Open on Sunday.

The Invercargill golfer posted a sharp 66 in the opening round at Arrowtown and followed with a 69 to finish two shots clear of Phil Bungard (Chisholm Links).

Otago players Tom Lee and Brandon Hodgson were five strokes behind Tautari, and Liam Hewitt (Queens Park) six.

With a new blue tee layout being used for the first time, and the course in excellent shape and conditions good for scoring, there was also an opportunity to get a course record.

Queenstown professional James Anstiss, ineligible for the main trophy, showed his class to post 67 then a record 64.

Anstiss scored 32 on both nines in his record round, firing seven birdies and posting a single bogey in a wonderful display.

Paddy Breen (Arrowtown) shot 73 and 75 to win the division two trophy by a stroke from clubmate Reece Borbely, and James Hogg (Arrowtown) shot 78-79 to win division three from clubmate Simon Forshaw.

Tautari was again in good touch as he shot 67-71 to win the Cromwell Open.

Calm conditions met the players on a course that is a polar opposite from Arrowtown — long and wide as opposed to short and tight.

Tautari adapted quickly, shooting a 6-under-par 138 to finish five strokes clear of Lee and Tyler McLean (Mataura).

There was a nice touch after the tournament when Tautari was presented with the trophy by former schoolmate-turned-Cromwell professional Willie Moore.

Wakatipu junior Ricky Kang won the second division by two strokes from Dylan Stock (Otago) and Josh Kahukura (Cromwell).

Meanwhile, the Otago masters team was cock-a-hoop after winning the South Island interprovincial at the Waitikiri course in Christchurch over the weekend.

Otago finished tied with Aorangi on three points, but Otago claimed the title as it won the clash between the teams.

Otago beat Aorangi and Tasman by the same score, 4.5-1.5, and beat Canterbury 3.5-2.5, but lost to Southland 3.5-2.5.

Andrew Hobbs and John McIntee led Otago with wins from three of their four games, and Chris Snow and Travis Cook had two wins and two halves.

 

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