Sloan team takes over lead

Our Sloan team sits top of the leaderboard after a nail-biting win over former frontrunner Takaka at Motueka on Sunday (July 12).

Three of the six matches were decided on the final hole in what was a real ding-dong battle between the two teams before we triumphed 6 1/2 to 2 1/2.

This time we could thank the juniors and seniors for the narrow win after our intermediates both lost.

Lewis Wilson - who was a late replacement for Warwick King - was an early hero, showing great fight to claw back from three down with three to play to snatch a draw and a vital half point. As well, it was Lewis's first Sloan match since the lockdown and he had to give his opponent shots. Three down at the halfway mark, Lewis hung in there before his late charge which culminated with a one metre putt on the last for a half.

Aaron Kotua's great run continued with an easy 5/4 victory. One up at the turn and with the driver working well, he coasted to the win with a birdie and four pars.

Jonathan Tuheke had a tough day, going down 4/2, while Peter Green got pipped 1-down at the post. Three up early on, Peter then lost four on the bounce but rebounded to be all square after nine. All tied up going to the last, he missed a 10 foot putt for a half.

Keri Kotua got the team back in front with a 2-up win on the back of some great scrambling and precise putting. Two after nine and four up with four to play, he then lost two holes in a row before settling the issue on the 17th.

At No 1, Andy Isle had a see-sawing battle with his rival. Locked at all square at the turn, Andy made the decisive move on the 17th to edge ahead and then shared No 18 with a par to secure the win and the extra points for the team.

It means we now hold a one and a half point lead over Greenacres after five rounds, but there are still only seven points between the top five teams and we are still to have our bye.

In other results, Murchison and Tasman drew 4-all in the battle for the wooden spoon. Totaradale surprised Golden Downs 7-2, while Greenacres wore down Nelson 6 1/2 to 2 1/2.

With three rounds to play, we lead with 27 points followed by Greenacres on 25.5, Takaka 24, Totaradale 23, Nelson 21, Motueka 19.5, Golden Downs 16.5, Tasman 10.5 and Murchison 9.