As you would expect at the semi-final stages of a competition, both matches were close.  Bruce Renshaw edged out Barry Hall – no mean achievement, Bruce!  In the other match it was Colin McGowan over Murray Wells.  Bruce and Colin will now meet on Wednesday March 31st in the 18-hole final.  Congratulations, to all four players.

 

 

A few years ago,several players requested that the Match Play Championships be moved to the February-March months so that it would help prepare them for inter club pennant competition.  This has proved to be a great success for the pennant teams and the match play event.  This year we have 2 teams in finals and the Bissett Shield team in the semi-final at Windross on Sunday.  Looking at the players in the Match Play Finals – both players in the Open Grade are in the Bissett Shield team; both players in the Intermediate Final, plus one in the Junior Final, and one in the D Grade Final are in the Inter Club 3 team on Finals day.  Maybe the message is – if you want to do well in the Match Play event you should put yourself up for a Pennant team.

 

Open Grade – After the close quarter-finals, both semi-finals were finished on the 16th green.  Matthew Cormack beat Chris Goad (3/2), while Nathan Smith accounted for Scott Robertson by 4/2.  Nathan won this trophy a couple of years agoand Matthew won it last year, so this final promises to go deep into the afternoon round.  The final is over 36 holes.  Matty and Nathan will then back up for the Bissett Shield at Windross Farm on Sunday – Whitford Park in the semi-final, and then hopefully either Titirangi or Royal Auckland/Grange in the afternoon final.  Looks like they both may need Monday off to recover!

 

Intermediate – Kailesh Patel completed his win over Oliver Foote on the 16th green (3/2), but Dean Palmer and Cullam Murchison went all the way to the final green before Dean won 1up.  Kailesh and Dean will battle out the 36 hole final on Saturday, and then they will both front at Windross Farm for the Inter Club 3 team in their pennant final against Titirangi.

 

Junior – Both semi-finals went the distance.  Glen Larsen finally beat Ross Taylor 1up, and Erik Jorgensen finally took out Andrew Williams 2/1.  The final between Glen and Erik is over 18 holes on Saturday morning.  Erik will then turn out for the Inter Club 3 team against Titirangi on Sunday morning.

 

C Grade  -Both semi-finals were very close.  Mark Boucher won 2/1 over Richard Osborne, and John Hill 1up over Peter Kusabs.  Mark and John will play out the 18-hole final on Saturday afternoon.

 

D Grade – Robin Bone had a more convincing win over Sid Holloway – 5/3, while the semi-final between the 2 x Mikes was postponed.  Mike Egan was having a stent put in his leg and couldn't play on the weekend. Unfortunately, an alternate date could not be found before the final was due, so Mike Hyams progressed to the final to meet Robin Bone on Saturday afternoon.