Newlook team for Otago in Toro Interprovincial 2018

OTAGO will be competing in the Toro Men’s Interprovincial later this month with a newlook team, with only Brandon Hodgson (Otago) a regular team member in recent years.

Hodgson will play at No 3 and captain the quintet, while Cromwell’s Inia Logan is the only other player to have represented Otago in this event in recent years.

Logan is the bolter in this team and will play at No 1 after the selectors viewed his form in Australia as well as at the New Zealand amateur championships last week.

He played at No 3 two years ago and was selected at No 4 last year before having to withdraw with a chest infection.

At the national championship, he had to graft during his rounds to obtain a good qualifying berth, before beating Canterbury No 2 Reid Hilton in the first round.

He lost his next match to Jake Lee on the final green in a contest which provided a barrage of birdies from both players.

The only other newcomer is No 5 Scott Hellier, who filled the top spot for Southland last year.

He has joined the small South Otago Clinton Club and made himself available for Otago, and will be a formidable opponent for the tailenders from the other provinces.

Despite playing all of his golf

in Southland, Hellier becomes the second golfer to represent Otago from Clinton, the first being Geoff Clarke who went on to represent New Zealand in 1967.

The remaining two places are filled by 18yearolds — Callum Judkins and Jack Turner from Queenstown.

Judkins will play at No 2 after winning the inaugural North Otago matchplay title, fighting back from four down after the first five holes.

Turner will be at No 4 after winning the Otago matchplay title at Balmacewen during Labour Weekend with some scintillating subpar golf in the final.

The casualty of this year’s selection is Duncan Croudis (Otago) who has been named as the team reserve.

Croudis was the Otago No 1 three years ago in the Toro on the Otatara course in Invercargill, but emerged with only one win in the South Island event at Methven two weeks ago.

His lack of form is likely to be temporary and should he be called upon to play at Clearwater, he should acquit himself well.

Toro Interprovincial

Otago men’s team Inia Logan (Wakatipu Junior), Callum Judkins (Wakatipu Junior), Brandon Hodgson (Otago) (captain), Jack Turner (Wakatipu Junior), Scott Hellier (Clinton).

Reserve: Duncan Croudis (Otago).