Club results for 6/6/26

The battle for Individual Matchplay honours is down to four after a challenging day on a saturated Waahi Taakaro course.

It was surprising any golf was played after a week of rain left pools of casual water on most holes but the eight quarterfinalists toughed it out from the blue tees with varying degrees of success as they adapted to the heavy conditions.

At the top of the draw, James Campion took on Maurice Woodhouse who started with a 16-shot advantage. The omens didn't look good when James put his opening tee shot into the net and Mo sunk a long putt for a winning start. James parred the long No 3 to draw level but then lost three of the next five holes as Mo - who played steadily throughout - took full toll of some loose play by James. A fine par on No 10 from Mo took him four clear as James continued to struggle and he extended that to five with a bogey with a shot on No 11.James finally sparked into life by taking the next two holes with pars, but the damage had been done and Mo claimed an emphatic 4/3 win with a matching par on No 14 followed by another half on No 15.

The match between Jarrod Huss and Gabriel Tijsen was always a tight affair which went down to the 18th green before Jarrod sunk a 9ft par putt for a 1-up win. With a two-shot cushion, Gabestarted the stronger after halving their first hole with pars. A par three at No 2 and a double bogey at No 3 saw him go two in front. Two halves followed before Jarrod got one back with a good up and down par at No 4. While the golf at times wasn't pretty, the next five holes were halved until Jarrod got back to even with a fine chip for a conceded par at No 12. He then got up and down again for a par three at No 14 to take the lead for the first time. Gabe drew level at No 14 with an excellent par after driving into the trees. After halving No 17 with pars, they went down the last with it all to play for. After both were forced to lay up, it was Jarrod who found the green and buried his putt for the win.

Andrew Craig made short work of an out-of-sorts Richard Pearson 5/3. Starting seven shots to the good, Andrew won the opening hole with a bogey but gave it back at the next after Richard nabbed a par. Andrew then went on a tear, taking No 3 with a bogey and the next with a double bogey where he got a shot . Richard briefly stemmed the bleeding with a bogey for a half at No 5 but Andrew went three ahead at the downhill No 6. Richard cut the deficit to two with a par at No 7 only to lose the next three as his game deteriorated. A par three at No 11 and an ugly win with a double at No 12 gave him some hope as the margin was trimmed to three, but Andrew was not to be denied, taking No 13 with a bogey before ending it early with a double at No 15 where he got a shot.

Matt Tomczyk had too much power and poise for Peter Watson, prevailing 3/2 after surviving a late comeback from the veteran leftie. After sharing their opening two holes with pars, Matt took the lead by winning No 3 with a bogey where he got his only shot. He went two-up with a fine par at the uphill No 4 and extended it to three at the next when Peter - who struggled with his short game at times - thinned a wedge over the green. Two halves followed before Matt parred No 8 with a big drive and iron to the green to go four in front. Peter at last won a hole with a bogey at No 9. They both parred No 10 before Matt - who at this stage was only five over the card - got up and down for a par at No 11 to again go four in front. Peter got one back with a par at the long No 12 and he won No 13 with a conceded par after a rare misfire off the tee from Matt. He then cut the margin to just one with a par three at No 14 but then shot himself in the foot with an awful drive at No 15 which Matt won with a par after sinking a lengthy putt. With both short of the green in two at No 16, Peter gifted Matt the match with a three-putt. Matt shot a commendable net 72 to Peter's 74 to thoroughly deserve victory.

In the match of the day -for 18-holers not involved in the matchplay, Jason Lee won the stableford round off the white tees with 35 points. His 82 off the stick featured a front nine of 40. Pete Green shot the best gross of the day, a 78, which earned him 34 points and second place. His round included matching nines of 39 and a  two at No 14. Graham Eggers (33) and Gareth Edwards (30) finished third and fourth respectively.

There was another excellent turnout of 9-holers who played a stableford off the back nine. Lloyd Moyle continued his good form with a winning 19 points. Playing off a 9-handicap for the back nine, he was quick out of the blocks, eventually carding a net 35. Dave Huntley chased him all the way, finishing second on countback from Mike De Veer after both posted 18 points. They were followed by James Mead, Jim McMullan, Andrew Dean and Warren Green with 17 each. However, the biggest cheer was reserved for Donna Dawson, who not only got closest to the pin on No 2/11 but binned her birdie putt for a double pay-out.

Next Saturday (June 13) Mo Woodhouse will take on Jarrod Huss in one semi-final of the Individual Matchplay, while Andrew Craig and Matt Tomczyk go head to head in the other. For all other 18-holers, they will play a net round off the white tees. The 9-holers will play a par round off the front nine.