BFHGC ladies win 2016 NZ Women's Autumn Foursomes

Thursday 24 March 2016

2016 New Zealand Women’s Autumn Foursomes @ Martinborough Golf Club

Final Results

Story courtesy of NZ Golf 

150 years between them, and unbeaten over six rounds of foursomes match play, Janet Hunter and Jill Timmins (Boulcott Farm GC) have claimed the 2016 New Zealand Women’s Autumn Foursomes Championship.

In taking out the 80^th title, Hunter and Timmins won their final this afternoon, 3 and 1 over the formidable Waikato pair, Ro Thomas and Liz Purcell (Hamilton GC).  Earlier in the day they had beaten Vicki Puia Clark and Deb Small (Pongoroa) in the semi- finals 3 and 2.  

Thomas and Purcell had won their semi-final, 2 and 1 over Otaki members Penny Bertelsen and Nancy Andrews.

The 80^th championship was held at the Martinborough Golf Club, which presented a very dry hard course, but with soft greens.  Todays playing conditions gave all players the toughest challenge, out of the three days play, with rainsqualls and high winds affecting all morning matches.

Luckily, the worst of the storm that was affecting much of the rest of the country, skirted around the nearby ranges after midday.  All players that made it into the afternoon finals experienced some of the most benign conditions of the tournament, in comparison to the morning’s weather challenges.

On the other side of the 64 pair draw, Carole Butland and Yuriko Manabe (Shandon) did battle with another Waikato pair, Di Boot and Kay Meade (Hamilton).  All 18 holes were needed for Boot and Meade to claim the 2016 NZLGU Salver, 1 up.

Semi finalists that were beaten by Butland, Manabe, Boot and Meade included Sylvia Beavis and Gretel Dick, the local clubs best placed pair, and Debbie Henrickson and Lindy Wheeler (Pongoroa).

Featuring in the extensive prize list were four out of the five Pongaroa members that entered into the tournament, representing 60% of the women’s membership at this small Hawkes Bay club.

Another small club represented at the tournament, was Onga Onga, also part of the Hawkes Bay Golf Association.  With a very small membership count, that relies totally on volunteer help to sustain its existence, Onga Onga had winners in the prize list as well – Debra Ruwhiu and Myra Jane White winning the 2^nd flight in the Autumn Foursomes Cup.

Other Foursomes Cup flight winners were Barbara Burnett & Judy Simpson (Shandon), Shirley Hay (Wainuomata) & Karen Musson (Manor Park), Peg Purdie and Wendy Thompson from Waitomo, along with Lynn Pedersen & Debbie Taylor (Wairakei).  The final two flight winners on the main side of the draw included Heather Sharp & Karo Preston (Walton) and Sally Dryland paired with Lisa Cotton (Pahiatua).

NZLGU Salver flight winners included Francie Duffy & Lynne Sutherland (Eketahuna), Diana Donald & Jenny Wilkie (Martinborough), Julie Kidd (Whangamata) & Roselee Thurston (Riversdale Beach) and Deb Archer with Angela Pivac (Manawatu).

The venue for the 2017 NZ Women’s Autumn Foursomes Cup was announced as Harewood in Christchurch.  Entry forms and more details will be available shortly.