Sloan team spanked by defendig champs

Our Sloan Trophy hopes took a tumble after we were spanked by defending champs Golden Downs at Greenacres on Sunday (June 7).

The humbling 8.5-0.5 loss - our first of the season - means we drop to second behind Golden Downs with three rounds to play.

While it is still a tight race with Golden Downs now leading by 2.5 points from Waahi Taakaro and 3 points from Takaka and Motueka, both Golden Downs and Takaka have the advantage of having already had their bye.

There was precious little for our team to celebrate on a breezy Greenacres course, although the players appreciated those club members who turn out to support and watch them.

Our two juniors, Craig Barron and Graham Eggers, both had to give their steadier opponents five and six shots respectively, which proved too big a hurdle to overcome, especially when both played under their handicaps.

Craig was always behind. He pulled it back to three down with a superb birdie on the treacherous No 13 with five to play but too many loose shots proved costly in his 5/4 defeat.

Graham played solidly over the front nine to be just one down and even got it back to square at one stage but some poor putting negated some good driving as he succumbed 4/3.

Matt Tomczyk had to give his rival four shots which in the end proved the difference in his 3/1 loss. Three down at the turn, Matt - who chipped the putted solidly in shooting a net 73 - got it back to just one down before fading down the home stretch.

His fellow intermediate, Keri Kotua, got out of his sick bed where he had spent much of the week to earn a meritorious half. Two up at the turn, Keri saw his lead disappear midway through the back nine as he struck bunker trouble but hung tough to share the honours, although he left a 16ft putt short to win the match on his final hole.

James Campion started poorly against an opponent who played exceptionally for most of his round. Two down after nine, James sunk a couple of lengthy putts to get it back to square with four to play only to lose the next two with some wayward driving and ran out of holes to recover in going down 2/1. He shot 80 off the stick.

Our No 1 Pete Green took his vastly experienced rival to the 18th before losing 2 down. Starting with a four-shot advantage, Pete found himself down early but clawed the deficit back to one at the turn. While he was solid off the tee and fairway, Pete missed too many shorter putts when it counted, including at the last - where he got a shot - when he had an opportunity to grab a half out of his match.

In other matches, Motueka got its challenge back on track by thumping Nelson 8-1. Takaka stayed well in the hunt with a hard fought 7-2 win over Tasman, while Totaradale got off the bottom of the table with a 7-2 victory over Murchison. In a non-counting game, Tasman Juniors defeated Greenacres 4-2.

So after six rounds, Golden Downs - who are bidding for four straight titles - lead on 34.5 from Waahi Taakaro (32), Takaka (31.5), Motueka (31.5) and Nelson (26.5). They are followed by Totaradale (18), Tasman (15.5), Murchison (15) with Greenacres languishing in last place on 11.

The next round at Motueka on July 5 will go a long way to deciding the trophy with a pivotal clash between Golden Downs and Takaka, while Waahi Taakaro will need to beat Nelson to  remain in contention.