Golfer recreates Tiger Woods’ famous shot
The miracle shot made by Tiger Woods that sunk Manawatu golfer Grant Waite in the 2000 Canadian Open was recreated in the buildup to the tournament last weekend.
PGA professional Harold Varner III watched a video of Woods’ shot on the 18th hole, which ended on the green after being about 200 metres from the pin, sitting in the fairway bunker.
He then pulled out a five iron – Woods used a six iron – and pulled off an almost identical shot on his first crack.
Woods beat Waite by one stroke in 2000, with the above shot regarded as one of the best of his career.
New winner
Old Boys Marist may be one of the heavyweights in Manawatu club rugby these days, but their Hankins Shield win last weekend broke a 13-year run of the what could be called the big three.
When OB Marist beat Kia Toa in the club rugby final 28-27, the first win for the amalgamated club, it was the first time since 2003 a team outside Varsity, College Old Boys and Kia Toa had won the final.
The last team to win other than those three was Te Kawau, who beat Marist 23-16 in 2003.
On rugby’s patch
The club rugby league grand final was at the Central Energy Trust Arena on Saturday, in what was a very rare appearance for the event on the city’s main ground.
The game was shifted from Fitzherbert Park to the Arena because of the boggy state of Fitzherbert Park, which will start being prepared for cricket at the end of next month.
Rugby is primarily played on the oval and aside from the Warriors’ NRL pre-season game against the Titans in February, the 13-man code doesn’t usually get a look in.
Sporting votes
Maori Party candidate Howie Tamati must be looking to garner votes in the Manawatu sporting fraternity.
New Plymouth-based Tamati, who is running for the Te Tai Hauauru Maori seat, made a fourday visit to Palmerston North last week as he gets across his massive electorate.
Tamati is a former Kiwis rugby league player and coach, president of New Zealand Rugby League and boss of Sport Taranaki, but he got into politics last year.