Canterbury end 20-year title drought
Canterbury have captured their first men’s interprovincial golf title in 20 years.
The red-and-blacks toppled North Harbour 3-2 in the final at the Whitford Park Golf Club in Auckland on Saturday to snap their long drought, dating back to 2000.
Mike Toeke captained Canterbury in his third time representing the province at the event after getting a taste for this level of competition in 2014 when he went as assistant manager.
‘‘I thought getting to play the weekend was an accomplishment. Our first round loss to Manawatu¯Wanganui was the wake-up call we needed,’’ Toeke said.
‘‘I told the lads, we came up here to do a job.
‘‘If you leave the course and you’ve given it 100 per cent that’s all you can do’’
The final against North Harbour could not have been tighter. All five matches were all square through the first five holes with Canterbury pushing slightly ahead through nine. Matches continued to seesaw through the back nine holes.
Toeke and Jason Gulasekharam went to the 18th all square, but an out-of-bounds tee shot on 18 proved costly for Harbour, with Toeke winning the first Canterbury point.
Harbour responded with wins to Jesper Bengtsson and Jerry Ren against Reid Hilton and Zach May respectively in close fought battles.
Matt McLean locked the scoreline up 2-2 after beating Kit
Bittle 2/1 with attention then falling on the No 1 ranked players.
North Harbour’s James Hydes had been in control most of the afternoon, but Kazuma Kobori started to mount a comeback, winning the 14th, 16th, and 17th holes. That turned a two-hole deficit into a one-hole lead standing on the 18th tee.
With Hydes having to make an aggressive play on 18 to extend the
match, his approach shot was wide and he was unable to chip in, handing the title to Canterbury.
‘‘This one is for the province and the people back home in Canterbury’’ Toeke said.
‘‘The team have a special bond and will remember this moment for the rest of our lives. It’s surreal.’’
With seven wins from eight starts and his only loss coming in the semifinal win against Hawke’s Bay, Kobori was named player of the tournament.
The New Zealand women’s teams interprovincials begins at Auckland’s Akarana club tomorrow.
‘‘The team have a special bond and will remember this moment for the rest of our lives. It’s surreal.’’
Canterbury captain Mike Toeke