Players concern sees Ngamotu Classic cut changed

Making the cut for this year’s Ngamotu Classic has been made a little easier for competitors with the news that the cut for the Charles Tour event has been increased from 50 to 60 plus ties.

Last year professional and amateur golfers felt a cut of 50 was too severe, especially considering that the overall fields in recent years have been less than 100, with a number being young amateurs.

Having an additional 10 or so golfers playing the final two days was unlikely to create any issues. Entries for this year’s event already stand at more than a 100, including 35 professionals.

❚ This year’s Top Club competition has been won by Inglewood. Played in drizzly conditions at the Manukorihi Golf Club last Sunday, the team of Peter Joseph (37 points), Chris Van Kooten (38), John Christini (40) and Jill Evans (30) scored an aggregate total of

145 points to hold off the Westown team of Roy Grant (38), Ken Sykes (36), Brian Venables (38), Kim Lucas (32) for a144.

Manaia finished third with 140 points while Manukorihi had 138 to finished fourth. It was somewhat disappointing that only eight clubs were represented at this year’s competition. It seems to be indicative of lack of support many events in the province have experienced.

❚ Taranaki will have a team at next week’s boys’ interprovincial for the first time in more than 10 years.

A team of four under-19 and three under-16 players will compete at Cambridge against 11 other provinces.

The side will be led by Monte Burmester with Josh Morris, Matthew Allan and Max Shearer the other under-19 players while Blake Symes, Louis Baldock and Josh Elder are the three under-16 representatives.

While it is unlikely the team will be able to mount any realistic challenge for honours, it will be an excellent opportunity for the boys to gauge where they are in relation to their peers across the country and to build on that in the future.

❚ The men’s and women’s teams for next week’s Shand Cup and Sybil Green played between Taranaki, Hawke’s Bay, Manawatu-Wanganui and Wellington has been named. The men’s team in playing order is: Andrew Searle (New Plymouth), Joseph Doyle (Tumahu), Ben Joseph (Inglewood), Monte Burmester (New Plymouth), Brook Gray (Tumahu), Josh Morris (Te Ngutu), Zach Lewis (New Plymouth) and Dan Armstrong (Tumahu).

The women’s team in playing order: Celeste McLean (Manukorihi), Joanne McDonald (New Plymouth), Rochelle Keegan (Westown), Kaye Marie Mihaljevich (Te Ngutu), Tineka Kumeroa (Hawera), Debbie McCallum (Te Ngutu), Tyla Winter (Te Ngutu) and Chris Wilson (Inglewood).

There will be no boys’ teams played at the tournament because of the interprovincial. Instead, there will be six man master’s team instead.

This will give the teams some invaluable competition before November’s Freyberg Masters. John Newland is yet to name his team with a couple of spots still up for grabs.

❚ Men’s No 1 Andrew Searle warmed up for the Shand Cup with a solid performance at last week’s Bay of Plenty Open played at the Whakatane Golf Club.

Searle shot a five over par 285 with rounds of 68-71-72-74 to finish in fifth place, seven strokes behind the eventual winner, Muriwai’s Mark Hutson.