Youthful look to Otago interprovincial side
OTAGO’S younger golfers have stepped up to fill a void, and will make their senior debuts in the South Island interprovincial teams tournament to be played over four rounds on the Methven course this weekend.
Otago has been flying high in recent years, with second placings in the national Toro interprovincial tournament in 2014, 2015 and 2016.
But Fraser MacLachlan (No 1), Brent McEwan (No 3) and Chris Snow (No 5) have all flown the coop.
Fortunately, recent displays of form from two Queenstown 18yearolds augurs well for the top placings to continue.
Jack Turner will play at No 3 this weekend after winning the Otago match play in style last weekend, and was 5underpar when the final finished on the 13th green.
Callum Judkins also showed fortitude in the final of the North Otago match play.
He took the title following a strong fightback from finding himself four behind after the first five holes.
Both emerged with excellent records against some tough opposition in the national junior interprovincial contest at Cambridge earlier this month.
Otago has gained another top player, with former Southland No 1 Scott Hellier (Clinton) changing his allegiance for this year’s interprovincial events.
Hellier made the final of the Otago match play event last weekend and will make his Otago debut at No 2 this weekend.
The two remaining from last year’s Toro team are Brandon Hodgson at No 1 and Duncan Croudis at No 5.
The South Island event will also double as the final trial before Jason Hughes (convener), Mahal Pearce and Craig Palmer select the final quintet for the national tournament.
The top five for this weekend cannot rest on their laurels, as Ryan Bellamy (St Clair), Ben Patston (Otago) and Jonny Mac Kay (Lower Waitaki) have all shown good form during the trial series.
Bellamy has been the team reserve in the past while Patston, the national lefthanded champion, won the Lakes District championship at Arrowtown recently.
MacKay is the best of the Oamaru juniors, making the final of the North Otago match play since returning from a stint in Scotland this year.