Dramatic last day in women’s golf

Press, 6 May 1983, Page 28

Dramatic last day in women’s golf

PA Wellington Bay of Plenty-Thames Valley had to battle driving rain, high winds, an agonising delay and a storming finish from unfashionable Taranaki yesterday to complete its hat-trick of Russell Grace Cup inter-provincial women’s golf championships at the Wellington club, Heretaunga. “I never want to go through that again,” said the Bay’s non-playing. captain, Una Wickham, of Tauranga, after her. team had been forced, to a countback on indiviipal wins to pip

Taranaki, which has never won the cup in its 35-year history. The final two rounds unfolded some remarkable drama. Bay of Plenty, after previously looking almost invincible, battled against and finally lost to Otago, 2-3. Otago then led on nine points, one better than the Bay. Also on eight was Taranaki, which had been seeded bottom of the 13 teams last year, and finished fifth. * It had hardly talked

of as a potential winner in Wellington, either but with Southland as its final round opponent it looked as though it might be about to produce one of the greatest upsets in the championship’s history. Rain suspended play at 1.12 p.m. with Otago and the Bay still yet to finish, but recommenced at 2.10 p.m. The rules provide that if darkness or bad light prevents the completion of a match, all matches past the ninth hole are to be decided on the score at that time. When the siren sounded for the end in the gathering

gloom, soon after 5.30 p.m., the Bay had beaten Waikato in one match, led it in two others and was square in one more — just enough to clinch the cup. Round six results.— Waikato-King Country 2t4 South Canterbury 2Vi J. Arnold beat S. Hamilton, 6 and 5; J. Coffey and J: Kel-. lahan all square; J. Cook lost to A. Seed, 1-up; J. Jackways beat J. Knight, 3 and 2; J. Storey lost to S. Hutchins, 5 and 4. Auckland 4, Nelson-West Coast-Marlborougb 1 beat D. Randell, 3 andJrt; P. King lost to A.

Rewita, 2 and 1; P. Meyer beat B. Win, 6 and 4; J. McLean beat W. Farrell, 2 and 1; N. White beat C. Douglas, 4 and 2. Southland 4, Northland 1; Wellington 3, Hawke’s BayPoverty Bay 2; Taranaki 3, Manawatu-Wanganui 2; Otago 3, Bay of Plenty-Thames Valley 2, Canterbury a bye. Round seven.— Canterbury 3, Northland 2 J. Ross beat Dalbeth, 2-up; M. Sparrow lost to Schou, 6 and 5; A. Bond lost to Gray, 2 and 1; C. Skinner beat Bremner, 7 and 6; L. Watts beat Going, 1-up. South Canterbury 3W, NelsonWest Coast-Marlborougb 1% Hamilton and Raniell all square; Kellahan and,Rewita

all square; Seed beat Win, 3-up; Knight and Farrel all square; Hutchins beat Douglas, 2-up. Taranaki 4, Southland 1; Hawkes Bay-Poverty Bay 3, Manawatu-Wanganui 2; Bay of Plenty-Thames Valley 314, Waikato-King Country 114; Wellington 3, Auckland 2; Otago a bye. Final points: Bay of PlentyThames Valley 10 (2114), Taranaki 10 (1814), Otago 9 (1914), Canterbury 9 (17), Wellington 8 (17), Waikato-King Country 7 (1614), South Canterbury 6 (1514), Hawke’s BayPoverty Bay 6 (15), Auckland 5 (1314), Southland 4 (1314), Northland 2 (9), ManawatuWanganui 1 (10), Nelson-West Coast-Marlborough 1 (814).