Woodward Cup Team Report 15/09/08 The Clearwater course was beautifully prepared and it was a perfect day for golf. Unfortunately the guys were outgunned in the semi final 4.5 / 1.5 by a very focused Christchurch team who went on to beat Windsor 5 / 1 in the final. It is a real challenge for smaller clubs such as Kaiapoi to compete with the larger and more financial clubs like Christchurch.
The 30-40 Kaiapoi supporters on course were very proud of the guys, and although the team is disappointed they are already looking forward to next year. The highlights of the day for Kaiapoi were Scott Fox shooting a one under par 71 and winning his match 5&4, Matt Adam coming back from 5 down and winning six holes in a row to eventually go on and draw his match, and of course Karl Mariu playing his 150th Woodward cup game.
It has been a long road to the Kaiapoi team which started in March with eight Kaikoura Cup games, the last of which was a final against Rangiora, to win the right to play in the Woodward cup. We learned a lot from our first year back in the competition after 38 year absence, and will put those lessons to good use for next year.
In two weeks time Rangiora, along with two other clubs, will get to play against wooden spooners Waitikiri in a gross stableford match. The winner of which will get to play Woodward Cup next season. The Kaiapoi team wishes Rangiora all the best for this match. Patricia Taylor Manager
Kaiapoi Golf Club – Woodward Cup Team: Report August 2008 : Patrica Taylor Manager |
The 'Woodward Cup' is played by the top 10 clubs from all of Canterbury in teams of 6, playing 'off the stick Match Play'. Basically, Canterbury's top 60 players doing battle for this highly valued trophy.
Kaiapoi qualified to play by winning North Canterbury’s ‘Kaikoura Cup’, this is the first time in 38 years that Kaiapoi has been able to enter this competition and after the first 5 rounds (of 9) Kaiapoi is leading. In fact, they are the only team, to date, to go undefeated.
There are 9 players in the team with 6 selected for each match.
Tyrone Nelson, Jason Sincock, Matt Adam, Ryan Adams, Roy Hollick, Scott Fox, Karl Mariu, Brian Ford and Dean Sutton.
Most of the team has played in the past when North Canterbury fielded a team, with Matt Adam having one of the best records in recent years of all players in Canterbury.
Karl Mariu and Jason Sincock are long term members of the Kaiapoi Club both having started 30 years ago as young boys. Brian Ford also has a long history with the club and is Kaiapoi’s current club champion. Ryan Adams is the 3rd generation from a family with a great tradition at Kaiapoi. Scott Fox is a real player for the future, at 17 years old he matches it with the best. And of course there is Tyrone Nelson who would have to be ranked one of the top players in Canterbury and has the distinction of having competed at the NZ Open last year at the Hills course in Queenstown.
We have had some good support from club members and we are sure this will increase even further as we get to the business end of the competition. With nail biting finishes like we had in the last two games spectators will enjoy watching some great golf for the next 6 games.
To date the team have:
Beaten Windsor 5 / 1
Beaten Christchurch 4 / 2
Beaten Waitikiri 5 / 1
Beaten Coringa 3.5 / 2.5
Drawn Weedons 3 / 3
The next four rounds are to be played at Templeton on the 31st August and Windsor on the 7th September.
It all culminates at Clearwater on September 14th with Semi's in the morning and then finals in the afternoon.
Tricia Taylor
Kaiapoi Golf Club
Woodward Cup Team Manager