Thursday, October 26, 2017
Ross McCullough
A MENTALLY-challenging 36-holes of golf on Sunday, to be held rain, hail or shine, will determine the club champions at the Opotiki Golf Club for 2017.
Three earlier rounds of qualifiers determined the seedings for the three rounds of match play to find the finalists in the men’s senior, intermediate, junior and junior B divisions and the women’s division.
In addition, plate finals will be contested on Sunday.
In the men’s senior division, a match many of the club’s members and friends will be out on the course to support is the one involving Charlie Hayes and Hayden White who will duke it out for top honours with plenty riding on the outcome.
The winner of the division will represent the Opotiki Golf Club at the Bay of Plenty Championships, a title Micky Huriwaka, 27, won two years ago, as did the club’s women’s champion Tyla Kingi.
Another match to keep an eye on with neither giving an inch when it comes to match play will be between Milton Kiri and Bain McKay in the intermediate division.
The junior champion of the club will be decided between Pete Gleeson and Trevor Harris, while young Jock Butler will try to win his first club championship title in the Junior B division against the more experienced Bob Papuni.
To cater for the extended play on Saturday, tee times will be from 9.30am much earlier than the usual midday tee off time.