Three in a row for Dale Clarke at NZ Mid-Amateur
Dale Clarke and Diana Syer with their trophies following their wins at the New Zealand Mid-Amateur in Tauranga last month.
Bay of Plenty golfer Dale Clarke has done it again.
Clarke racked up his third win in a row in the New Zealand Mid-Amateur at the Omanu golf course in Tauranga last month.
Clarke, a plus three handicapper from the Mount Maunganui club in Tauranga, blitzed his opposition with scores of 67, 70 and 66 to finish at 13 under par with a total score of 203.
This was an improvement of two shots over his 2019 total of 205.
Clarke has been an anchor in Northland representative teams but is now living in Bay of Plenty.
Clarke’s closest opposition in a very strong field were Douglas Millington (Ngaruawahia) and Brent Curnow (Mt Maunganui), who shared second place with a three under par score of 213.
Fourth place was shared by Matthew Cormack (Remuera) and Mike Wilson (Hastings), two shots back on 215. Curnow won the tournament in 2017.
Victory in the women’s division was another Bay of Plenty representative, Diana Syer (Wairakei), who was competing in her first Mid-Amateur.
Syer’s win was a credible five shots over Vaha Fapiano (North Shore).
Syer didn’t have it all her own way with an opening round of 78, where Fapiano opened with 75 and Heather Keefe (Springfield) with a 74.
Syer took charge on the second day with a one-under par round of 71, to head into the final day’s play with a one shot lead over Fapiano.
Fapiano couldn’t match the pace on the final day, posting a 78, to Syer’s two-over 74. Syer’s three scores were 78, 71 and 74, Fapiano 75, 75 and 78.
The women’s field was one of the strongest collection of senior players, many of whom were chasing selection for the Senior Women’s Trans-Tasman Challenge.
Brigit Holfor, posting one of the best rounds of the day on the second day with even par, shared third place with Keefe. Holford shot rounds of 79, 72 and 80. Keefe had scores of 74, 81 and 76.
While the tournament recognises the best man and woman aged 30 plus, with the awarding of the Neil Woodbury Cup and the Women’s Golf Trust Shield respectfully for the lowest scores, prizes are also awarded for best nett and best stableford.
Best nett posted for the men was won by Omanu’s Hayden White while the women’s winner was Tracey McCarten (Riverside).
Best stableford for the men and women were both local Omanu members, Royden Trask and Karen Waerea.
The 2020 tournament field included players from Australia, Canada, New Caledonia, Fiji, the United States and China in addition to the strong New Zealand contingent, many of whom are past or current district representatives.
PaR New Zealand Golfing Holidays, which manages the tournament on behalf of New Zealand Golf, announced that the 2021 tournament will be hosted by Shandon Golf Club in Wellington.
