Canterbury duo unbeaten over six rounds to win national golf title in Timaru
The winners of a national women’s golf tournament in Timaru this week will hold the title for just four months after Covid-19 pushed the 84th annual autumn event to summer.
Carol Bates and Jenny Stephens, of the Tai Tapu Golf Club near Christchurch, won the Golf New Zealand women’s summer foursomes final 2 and 1 over the Southland pairing of Paddy Craig and Shona MacGregor (Dipton Golf Club) at the Gleniti Golf Club on Thursday.
‘‘Congratulations to them both,’’ Golf NZ’s tournament director Denise Langdon said of the winners who were undefeated through six matches over three days.
The event was moved from March to December when the pandemic gripped the world and thrust New Zealand into lockdown.
Langdon said the 2021 foursomes would revert to autumn, and be held at Waikato’s Walton Golf Club on March 23-25 – meaning Bates, who is a former Canterbury representative, and Stephens would hold the title for just four months.
‘‘It is what it is, unfortunately . . . It is hoped that they will return and defend their title,’’ Langdon said.
It was the first time the tournament had been held in Timaru with 64 pairs from across the country taking part.
‘‘There was a good spread of all ages and all handicaps,’’ Langdon said.
Tournament captain Carole Brand, of the Gleniti club, said she was ‘‘thrilled’’ with how the tournament ran.
‘‘We were overwhelmed by everyone’s kind comments about the friendliness and the way the course is presented,’’ Brand said.
‘‘There was a lot of work and preparation. I feel we did our very best and the players appreciated all that we did, and the timing of the opening of the driving range was immaculate.’’
Brand said 50 to 60 businesses had supported the event with raffle prizes.
‘‘They have just been amazing, especially in these times when you don’t expect that.’’
The Gleniti club took home five trophies.
Jenny Austin and Sue Esler won the first flight, Yvonne Cook and Patricia Knight the third, and Shirley Behrnes and Raylene Cowles the fourth, while Debbie Austin and Debbie Lovett were New Zealand Ladies’ Golf Union Salver semifinalists and Raewyn Cormick and Kate Elliott won the first flight in the same section.
The winners of the Salver were Lesley Clague and Heather Hurst, of Alexandra.