Australia Claims The Trans-Tasman Cup, Again!

2020 Senior Women’s Trans-Tasman
Taupo Golf Club
Monday 24 February 

Well that’s that! Australia, led by Jacqui Morgan, have retained the Trans-Tasman Cup, 8 ½ points to New Zealand’s 3 ½.

Trailing 5-1 overnight after the previous day’s Foursomes and Fourballs, where New Zealand only managed to scrape one win, the task was always daunting. None-the-less New Zealand came out firing.

Highlights from the six singles matches for the Kiwis included local Diana Syer claiming the prize scalp of Sue Wooster, who had been ranked no. 1 in the senior world circuit one month ago. This match was all square through the first nine holes, Wooster got two back on the 11th and 12th, then lost the 13th to a Syer birdie, the 15th where she bogeyed, then another to a 3-putt on the 16th. Syer birdied the 17th and the match was New Zealand’s, 2 and 1.

It seemed like all of Ngaruawahia was out supporting their ‘home-grown favourite’ Robyn Pellow, who gave New Zealand their second win of the day. Pellow led from the first hole, with a birdie, and two more wins on the back nine where opponent Sharon Dawson was struggling to make a putt. Three down at the turn, Dawson did get two back on the back nine including a birdie on the par-3 12th. However the long-standing Waikato representative claimed the 15th and then, despite a wayward tee shot into the long scrub, miraculously got back on the 16th green for 2, and made par. Match won 4 and 2.

Rookie Julie Gee, playing the very experienced and skilled Jacqui Morgan, Australia’s captain, initially 5-down after 6-holes and while still losing, can take extreme heart from the chase she made on holes 7, 8, 9 10 and 11 to square the match. Morgan, ever talented, fresh off her win last week at the 2020 New Zealand Women’s Senior Championships, dug in and eventually won on the 16th, 3 and 2.

Robyn Pullar managed a half for New Zealand against Carmen Palframan but the day belonged to Australia.  Wins by Kim Burke over Robyn Boniface, New Zealand’s captain, started to close the door on any New Zealand dreams of staging a major upset, the inevitable Cup win cemented by Helen Pascoe, a win 4 and 3, over Brigit Holford.

Australia won the inaugural Trans-Tasman 18 months ago in Adelaide, by one point. Both Morgan and Boniface were the captains in 2018 and again this year. The 3rd Trans-Tasman Cup will be staged in 2 ½ years to coincide with the 2022 Australian Senior Women’s Championships, which are due to be held in Victoria. Both captains reflected on who might be in the 2022 teams as masters players on both sides of the Tasman turn 55 in time to put their hand up.  

One thing is for sure, Morgan, Wooster, Pascoe, Palframan, Dawson and Burke will be celebrating all the way home, and so they should. Well done Australia – a class act and the 2020 Cup deservedly yours.

Single match scores:
Australia win 2 and 1 Burke bt Boniface
New Zealand win 2 and 1 Syer bt Wooster
New Zealand win 4 and 2 Pellow bt Dawson
Australia win 4 and 3 Pascoe bt Holford
Australia win 3 and 2 Morgan bt Gee
Match Sq Pullar vs Palframan

Results Foursomes: Pascoe / Palframan (Aus) bt Holford / Syer (NZ) 2up; Dawson / Wooster (Aus) bt Boniface / Pellow (NZ) 2up; Morgan / Burke (Aus) bt Pullar / Gee (NZ) 3 and 2

Results Football: Palframan / Dawson (Aus) bt Syer / Pellow (NZ) 5 and 4; Morgan / Pascoe (Aus) lost to Boniface / Pullar (NZ) 1 Down; Burke / Wooster (Aus) bt Gee / Holford (NZ) 3 and 2