Taranaki golfers off to disastrous start
Home course advantage didn’t play in Taranaki’s favour during the first day of the Toro Men’s Interprovincial golf tournament at New Plymouth Golf Club, losing both their matches yesterday.
With the Taranaki weather chopping and changing, conditions were challenging on the course as players went about their work in howling winds, rain and sustained periods of sunshine throughout the day.
To open the tournament, Taranaki took on a Tasman team led by leading New Zealand Ryan Chisnall.
Chisnall proved too strong for Taranaki no1 Kerry Otene, taking a two and one round one win.
Tasman took the match threetwo as Andrew Drummond won the No3 match against Andrew Searle five and four, while the No4 match went the way of Blair Bavin over Taranaki’s Travis Stewart, four and three.
Taranaki No2 Ben Joseph was able to finish 1-up against Sam Nicholls, while No5 Mark Kennard took the win over Tasman’s Brook Hale three and one.
Things didn’t get amateur easier for Taranaki in round two, facing off against a Canterbury side coming in off a round one win over Southland.
Otene found himself falling just short again in round two, suffering a two and one defeat at the hands of Daniel Laughton.
Joseph continued his strong play to finish the day two-for-two, claiming a two and one win over Matt McLean.
Searle was able to open his account for the tournament with a strong three and two win over Canterbury’s Tom Parker.
However with Stewart going down five and four to Andrew Green and Kennard suffering a two and one defeat to Hiroki Miya, Canterbury were able to take a three-two victory.
Taranaki will be hoping their fortunes change this morning when they take on Northland, teeing off at 7:30am.
They will then play Wellington in round four, with that match teeing off at midday.
Canterbury, along with Wellington and Auckland, were able to stamp their mark on the tournament with two wins from their two rounds, while North Harbour, Bay of Plenty, Otago and Waikato all won their only match of the day.