For the third year running an Australian has won the New Zealand Women’s Senior Championships.
The tournament was played at the Bay of Islands Golf Club in Kerikeri in Northland and it was fought out by two Australians with Sue Wooster defeating Helen Pascoe two up.
Wooster is amassing a strong portfolio of international placings with a Canadian Women’s Seniors title, and runner-up place at the British Women’s Seniors in 2017. She now has the New Zealand title to add to this impressive list.
Pascoe must have thought she was in line for the trophy when she started strongly and was three up after nine holes. Pascoe won the 10th to go four up, only to bogey the 11th against Woosters par, and the match somehow turned against her.
Both players struggled with the narrow par five 12th to halve the hole in double bogeys. Pascoe then three-putted both the 13th and 14th, and was back to one up. ‘
Wooster then birded the 16th to square the match, and then made par versus a Pascoe bogey on the 17th,  to lead by one, with one hole to play. Pascoe conceded on the 18th when she realised she could not win the hole to force a play-off.
Earlier in the day, the Australian pair had ousted out the Southland Robyns and with it, New Zealand’s hopes of getting back the coveted trophy. Wooster needed all 18 holes to take out Robyn Pullar (Invercargill), 1 up. while Robyn Boniface (Queens Park) lost to Wooster 3 and 2.
Kim Burke, who was the awarded the NZG Senior Cup for best gross, was the defending champion, having won in 2017 at Waihi. In 2016, Sharon Dawson won the top trophy, at Te Anau. Both Burke and Dawson, are Australian.
The Kiwis can still smile knowing that the Australian Senior title is in good hands, with the current title holder being Robyn Boniface, a championship she won last year at the Maroochy River Golf club.
The 2018 championship was the 70th, the first played in 1948 at the Waipukurau Golf Course. The 2018 championship included players from 55 clubs around New Zealand and Australia, along with one entrant from the United Kingdom, and a total of 120 players.
PaR nz Golfing Holidays, who manage the tournament under the auspices of New Zealand Golf, announced that the 71st New Zealand Women’s Seniors will be held at the Cromwell Golf Club.
RESULTS
Division 1 - NZLGU Challenge Cup
S Wooster (Aus) bt H Pascoe (Aus) 1up
Plate Winner Annette Muir (North Shore); Flights 1 & 2 Robyn Pellow (Ngaruawahia) & Margaret Ann Salmon (Aus)
NZG Senior Veterans Cup – Best Gross
Kim Burke (Aus)
Eileen Nutt Salver & Badge – Best Nett
Dianne Sweeney (Walton)
Vesta Cup – Best Gross Player aged 70 and above
Robyn Watt (Waratah)
Highest Placed Kiwi
Robyn Boniface (Queens Park)
Division 2 - Waipukurau Jubilee Salver
L Urquart (Aus) bt S Cox (Mangawhai) 3/2
Plate Winner Paddy Craig (Dipton); Flights 1 & 2 Eleanor Newton (Chisholm Links) & Ann Needham (Walton)
Division 3 - Hawkes Bay Salver
C Courtman (Hamilton) bt J Browne (Thames) 1up
Plate Winner Pam Waters (BOI); Flights 1 & 2 Pat Woodberry (Aus) & Judy Fullerton (Hauraki)
Division 4 - Manawatu Wanganui Salver
Karen Heaven (Hauraki) bt Wendy Thompson (Waitomo) 7/6
Plate Winner Margaret Bishop (Aus); Flights 1 & 2 Peg Purdie (Waitomo) & Sandra Miller (Aus)
Division 5 - Canterbury Rosebowl
Lorraine Garland (Te Puke) bt Barbara Ashworth Thames 3/1
Plate Winner Leslie Hatcher (Horsham Downs); Flights 1 & 2 Sue Connell (Aus) & Kerry Bazeos (Aus)
Division 6 – Maunu Trophy
Sandra Robinson (Okaihau) bt Marion Cleaver (Taihape) 20th
Plate Winner Susannah Starkie (The Pines); Flights 1 & 2 Sandra Speden (Gore) & Tina Berg (Matamata)
Division 7 – Wanaka Jug
Lesley Ferguson (Ngunguru) bt Marie Copson (Te Anau) 2up
Plate Winner Dianne Cleland (Waikaka); Flights 1 & 2 Raewyn Hale (Riverside) and Janet Choi (Waitemata)
Division 8 – Waihi Cup
Sandra Rickards (Hauraki) bt Tina Vanengelen (Tuatapere) 19th
Plate Winner Flo Wells (Waitemata); Flights 1 & 2 Judy Osborne (Walton) & Angela Williams (Hauraki)