Support for new golf tournament

Press, 14 February 1986, Page 32

Support for new golf tournament

By

BOB SCHUMACHER

Canterbury clubs have given good support to the inaugural national DB Export Challenge Golf Trophy event, 21 being represented in the provincial elimination competition at Shirley on Sunday. The tournament substitutes for the Kelliher Trophy as the national club championship of New Zealand. The Kelliher Trophy had limited appeal, with only three challenges a year being accepted by the titleholder* Every club will

have the opportunity to prove itself the best in the country under the new format. Before the national final the eventual winner will have had to prove itself the top club in its district and in its region. The competition will be between teams of four, the best three scores in each team counting in both rounds. Waitikiri’s convincing win in the Woodward Cup inter-club golf championship last year left no doubts as to which club had the strongest »eight-

man team in Canterbury and the reduction by half in numbers is unlikely to weaken Waitikiri’s bid. Paul Minifie, the 1985 Canterbury stroke champion and third last weekend in this year’s contest, will lead Waitikiri. His supporting cast comprises two of the longest hitters in the province, Stephen Paterson and John McCormick, and Gary Maw, joint runner-up in the intermediate stroke championship last Sunday. There might not be home comforts for the

Christchurch four, but home knowledge is certain to help the Shirley players keep a high profile. John Williamson, runner-up in the Canterbury stroke championship, and John Parlane, who had two excellent rounds in the same tournament, are joined by John Sanders and Wayne Tucker in the Christchurch team. Waimairi Beach, led by its club champion, Fred Poskitt, and the Canterbury junior No. 1, Richard Hurley, and with the baclTng of Craig Mitchell

and Richie Needham, should pose a big danger to the fancied teams along with Harewood, headed by Mark Street who has Kerry Lake, John Dixon and Peter Maclachlan as his team-mates. Russley (James Angus, John Crawford-Smith, Bob Bradley and George Turner), Coringa (Brent Paterson, Paul Hansen, Russell Rodgers and Jeff Louwman), Templeton (Joe Gantley, Neville Brightwell, Mark Tamuta and Alistair McCall) all have powerful line-ups, while Rangiora couj| give

the town sides a fright through the agency of John Reid, Russell Start, Harley Henderson and Alister Mackie. Other entries, away from the metropolitan area, include Lake Coleridge, Hororata, Richmond Hill and Cheviot. The Canterbury district winner will play the top clubs from the Buller, Nelson and Marlborough. districts to determine the regional champion, and that team will oppose four others in the national final, at a venue still to be decided, in May.