Another hugely successful weekend at Ohope Beach Golf Links this past Labour weekend. Golfers played in near perfect conditions with endless Bay of Plenty sunshine and only light winds in the 27th Ohope 10,000 36H Men’s Open and the Property Brokers Toi Moana 36H Women’s Open.

The popular and classy Stuart Duff from Hastings Golf Club took out his fifth title this year and Club Manager, Lee-Anne Clark, commented that the Club loves having Stu on the course not just in this tournament, but throughout the year. He scored a creditable 69 and 72 to take the trophy home again. Matt Purdy, an Ohope member, was only 2 shots shy of the winner in the overall gross followed by 18 year old Ohope member, Tyler Van Asselt with 148. Other BOP players who performed well were Tuakana August of Kawerau who took out the Division 2 gross and net competitions with 151 and 135 respectively. Division 3 gross was won by Ray Hinton from Whakatane. A combined Stableford score of 72 was enough for Mailau Skudder in Division 1, 79 points for Tuakana August in Division 2 and 78 points for Ray Hinton in Division 3.

The $15,000 prize table draws a great number of returning players years on year to the 10,000. This year’s youngest participant was 14 year old Mikae Rangihika from Kawerau/Ngaruawahia playing in the same field as his father, Jordan Rangihika, a former three-time winner of this trophy.

A good field in just the second year of the Property Brokers Toi Moana 36H women’s tournament saw Whakatane local Pip Lawson taking out the honours again with a combined gross score of 165 just 2 shots clear of another Whakatane player, Ashleigh Hay. Division 1 net was won by Monica McMillan from Omanu and Division 2 honours went to Esther Jiang from North Shore. Stableford Division 1 winner was Ohope local Kylie Kast with Division 2 taken out by another Ohope member, Jan Kerr. The women’s tournament is co-hosted by Ohope Beach Golf Links and Whakatāne Golf Club.