First Australian winner in New Zealand Women’s Seniors

It was another of those damned Aussies again.

Australians constantly deny New Zealanders victory in numerous sporting events and this time it was Sharon Dawson from Perth who fended off the Kiwis.

Dawson won the New Zealand Women’s Senior Matchplay Championship at Te Anau in Southland in February to become the first Australian to win the tournament in it’s 68-year history.

Dawson, who was the Australian Women’s Senior champion, beat the big local hope Robyn Pullar from Invercargill in their semi-final match and then beat the tournament’s 2013 winner Robyn Pellow from Waikato in the final.

The semi-finals and final were marred with relentless rain throughout the day but Dawson was also relentless. She beat Pullar in the semi-final on the 18th hole and then won 3 and 2 over Pellow in the final.

Dawson had qualified in fourth place for the matchplay competition with a round of 79 on the par 74 course in the strokeplay section. She beat Bay of Plenty selector Carol Leary (Waihi) two up in her first round match and then marched to a 5 and 4 win over Aorangi-South Canterbury representative Jenny Kellahan in a quarter-final.

This year’s field consisted of 96 players, aged between 50 and 89, with handicaps ranging from scratch to the New Zealand maximum of 40. The Australian contingent numbered eight, there was one English competitor and one from Canada, who also had membership with Wanaka Golf Club.

The 2015 champion Jill Morgan (Te Awamutu) was unable to enter, and the tournament also missed out on the competition from Robyn Boniface (Queens Park), a three-time winner, due to other commitments.

Despite the lack of these two strong senior players in the field, the first division, competing for the New Zealand Golf Challenge Cup, was one of the strongest the tournament had seen including a seven-time Australian Senior winner Sylvia Donohoe and 10 current or past New Zealand district representatives.

The tournament is managed by PaR nz Golfing Holidays on behalf of New Zealand Golf, who introduced a new sponsor to the event, BSG Group who distribute the Bosch Range of home appliances. Napier Golf Club was announced as the venue for the 2017 New Zealand Women’s Senior Championship, from the February 21-24.

Final matchplay results:-

VETERANS CHALLENGE CUP

Final: Sharon Dawson (Aus) bt Robyn Pellow (Ngaruawahia) 3/2; Plate – Pam Wright (Matamata) bt Eleanor Newton (Chisholm Links) 2/1; Flight 1 – Jenny Kellahan (Geraldine) bt Judy Cameron (Mt Maunganui) 2up; Flight 2 – Carol Leary (Waihi) bt Jill Reakes (Pirongia) 5/4

Semi Finals:

Championship: Robyn Pullar (Southland) lost Sharon Dawson (Aus) 2dn; Ginny Bolderston (Geraldine) lost Robyn Pellow (Ngaruawahia) 19th; Plate: Liz McRae (Wanaka) lost Pam Wright (Matamata) 2/1; Eleanor Newton (Chisholm Links) bt Mary Hore (Tokarahi) 1up

WAIPUKURAU JUBLIEE SALVER

Final:

Paddy Craig (Dipton) bt Marg Hughes (Te Anau) 19th; Plate – Jo Wadworth (Invercargill) bt Chris Taylor (Aus) 3/2; Flight 1 – Gaye Muir (Omaha Beach) bt Ann Needham (Walton) 5/3; Flight 2 – Sally Hicks-Beach (Queenstown)

Semi Finals:

Championship: Anne McKenzie lost Paddy Craig (Dipton) 7/6; Sandra Speden (Gore) lost Marg Hughes (Te Anau) 1down; Plate: Chris Taylor (Aus) bt Ramai Lord (Everglades) 5/4; Jo Wadworth (Invercargill) bt Fiona Crampton-Smith (Eng) 4/3

HAWKES BAY SALVER

Final:

Zita Cleugh (Wanaka) bt Diane Cleland (Waikaka) 2/1; Plate – Anne Moffat (Wanaka) bt Mary Mackwell (Hamilton) conc; Flight 1 – Marg Read (Wanaka) bt Tama Sasaki (Chisholm Links) 2/1; Flight 2 – Wendy Thompson bt Judy Fullerton (Hauraki) 1up

Semis:

Championship: Diane Cleland (Waikaka) bt Mary Ann Kane (Tapanui) 4/3; Paula Parfitt (Hauraki) lost Zita Cleugh (Wanaka) 3/2; Plate: Mary Mackwell (Hamilton) bt Judy Muir (Wanaka) 5/4; Liz Senior (Lumsden) lost Anne Moffat (Wanaka) 3/2

MANAWATU WANGANUI SALVER

Final:

Lois Mitchell (Lumsden) bt Pamela de Beer (Wanaka) 7/6; Plate – Carmel Hyndman (Wanaka) bt Heather Atkinson (Queenstown); Flight 1 – Heather Richardson (Waikare) bt Judy King (Te Anau) 4/3; Flight 2 – Carrol Fouhy (Ngaruawahia) bt Margaret Ann Salmon (Aus) 1up

Semi Finals:

Championship: Lois Mitchell (Lumsden) bt Vicki Philp (Terang) 8/7; Pamela de Beer (Wanaka) bt Kerrie Gow (Tuatapere) 3/1; Plate: Carmel Hyndman (Wanaka) bt Mary Anne Lindsay (Drummond); Heather Atkinson (Queenstown) bt Pat Woodberry (Aus) 7/6;

CANTERBURY ROSEBOWL

Final:

Leslie Hatcher (Horsham Downs) bt Liz Bartlett (Ngaruawahia) 1up; Plate – Norma Mitchell bt Lynette Chambers (Tuatapere) 1up; Flight 1 – Barb Bayliss (Wanaka) bt Rosa Westgarth (Pleasant Point) 2/1; Flight 2 – Diane Jellyman (North Otago) bt Margaret Sell (Tarras) 3/1

Semi Finals:

Championship: Leslie Hatcher (Horsham Downs) bt Marion Cleaver (Taihape), conc; Liz Bartlett (Ngaruawahia) bt Mary Symons (Otautau) 4/3; Plate: Karen Heaven (Hauraki) lost Norma Mitchell (Wyndham) 2/1; Lois Byars (Waikaka) lost Lynette Chambers (Tuatapere) 19th

MAUNU TROPHY

Finals:

Janice McDonald (Dipton) bt Peg Purdie (Waitomo) 1up; Plate – Maria Williams (Everglades Country) bt Tina van Engelen (Tuatapere); Flight 1 – Linda Wright (Te Anau) bt Carol Hayes (Te Anau) 20th; Flight 2 – Maria Copson (Te Anau) bt Brenda Duncan Gore) 3/1

Semi Finals:

Championship: Janice McDonald (Dipton) bt Annette Menlove (Wanaka) 4/3; Ann Whatley (Te Anau) lost Peg Purdie (Waitomo) 1up; Plate: Janet Fairclough (Hamilton) lost Maria Williams (Everglades Country) 2/1; Tina van Engelen (Tuatapere) bt Margaret Hardy (Aus) 4/3