Canterbury swept Bay of Plenty aside in the final to win 5-0 at the Ashburton Golf Club. It was Canterbury’s first win in the tournament for 27 years.

 

The one-sided final was a turnaround from earlier in the day when Canterbury faced North Harbour in it's semi-final. At the end of regulation play it was 2-1/2 points each and a playoff was required to determine the finalist.

The playoff was between Amelia Garvey (Canterbury) and Ela Grimwood (North Harbour) who had halved their match. Garvey, who had missed a relatively short putt earlier in the day, found herself in similar situation on the first playoff hole. But on this occasion she holed the putt for victory.

In the final it was Canterbury all the way. The closest match was between Canterbury’s No1 Momoka Kobori and her Bay of Plenty counterpart Alanna Campbell. Kobori prevailed by 2 and 1.

Garvey, following her dramatic semi-final playoff win, couldn’t hide her emotions after the final.

“This hasn’t even sunk in, getting through the semis was the main thing with it being so tight,’’ Garvey said.

``I missed a couple of putts and then to get the first drive straight (in the playoff) and not out of bounds, then par the hole was awesome.

“I love this team, I think it’s the best ever. The way we trust each other, to go out there and have fun, and with two of our players undefeated it just showed how great they all played this week.”

Player of the tournament was awarded to Canterbury’s undefeated Catherine Bell who was the team's anchor in the middle order.

Said Bell: “Simply amazing feeling, so proud of the girls.''

Ashburton is Bell’s home course and that no doubt played a part in her winning form.

“I had a few tricks up my sleeve, but with matchplay you never know, so I am very happy to be in this position now.

“I didn’t even want to watch the semi. The nerves were incredible.”

Hilary O’Conner, playing at No 5 for Canterbury, was another to complete the week unbeaten.

Canterbury manager Kate Johnstone had planned for the Interprovincials for a long time and to see it come off was more than.

“Everyone kept telling us we had a good team,’’ Johnstone said.

``But we never tried to look at what the outcome was going to be and we have always said, each day you start again and this is where we have ended up. It’s hard to believe, I don’t think I believe it yet.’'

Johnstone said Garvey’s win in the playoff was a great comeback.

``For Amelia to come from where she was this morning, where she looked like she had her game wrapped up, then to bounce back in the playoff was amazing. So full credit to her.”

With a local team doing well it created a great atmosphere at the tournament with hundreds of supporters in attendance for the final day.

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Results:

FINAL

CANTERBURY 5 BAY OF PLENTY 0 Momoka Kobori def Alannah Campbell 2/1, Amelia Garvey def Emmalee Morrell 3/1, Catherine Bell def Rotana Howard 3/2, Juliana Hung def Jodae Ngaheu 3/2, Hillary O’Connor def Heather Keefe 3/1

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SEMI FINALS

CANTERBURY 2 ½ NORTH HARBOUR 2 ½ Momoka Kobori lost to Vyan Park 1up, Amelia Garvey halved with Ela Grimwood, Catherine Bell def Krystal Hu 7/6, Juliana Hung lost to Shani White 2/1, Hillary O’Connor def Vaha Fapiano *Garvey def Grimwood on 19th hole

BAY OF PLENTY 4 ½ WAIKATO ½ Alanna Campbell lost to Chantelle Cassidy 3/1, Emmalee Morrell Brooke Hamilton 2up, Rotana Howard def Fai Tongdethsri 1up, Jodae Ngaheu def Hana-Rae Seifert 1up, Heather Keefe halved with Kelly Nicholas

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PLAYOFFS

5th and 6th

AUCKLAND 3 MANAWATU WANGANUI2

Munchin Keh def Maraea Durie 1up, Rose Zheng def Leanne Brown 7/6, Brittney Dryland lost toTara Raj 3/1, Siyi Keh lost to Katherine Paskins 1up, Shantael Ligaliga def Tania Hook 3/1

7th and 8th

NORTHLAND 3 AORANGI STH CANT 2 Brooke Kingi lost to Catherine Knight 5/3, Alayna Cox halved with Ginny Bolderston, Soktaera Sean def Sharon Bradford 2/1, Kylie Jacoby def Jessica Shearer 5/3, Jo Taylor halved with Hilary Lovett

9th and 10th

HAWKES BAY PB 3 ½ WELLINGTON 1 ½ Kate Chadwick def Te Rongopai Clay 2/1, Janie Field def Sam-Maree Brown 2up, Jaimie McIvor def Emma Hayward 2/1, Sara Deam lost to Chelsea Sharp 5/4, Tessa McDonald halved with Glenn Hayward

12th and 13th

TARANAKI 4 SOUTHLAND 1 Holly Winter def Robyn Pullar 3/2, Tyla Winter def Angela Gerken 2/1, Rochelle Keegan lost to Olivia Frost 3/1, Melanie Wilson def Helen Baird 2/1, Joanne McDonald def Kate McGregor 4/3

13th and 14th

OTAGO 3 TASMAN 2 Jo Hicks-Beach def Eve Clarke 4/3, Abigael Crawford lost to Emily Stenhouse 3/1, Tracey Storer halved with Tracy Bary, Annabel Evans halved with Michele Reardon, Susan Greig def Jody Murray 3/2