The 2021 NZ Freyberg Masters concluded last Friday after an as always grueling week of golf with each association playing 8 rounds of golf in 5 days. Played at the challenging Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club the Canterbury team ended up with an 8th place final ranking finishing with 2 wins, 2 A/S, and 4 losses from their 8 matches.
Day 1 saw a narrow first-up 3-2 defeat to a strong Hawkes Bay side, which went on to secure 2nd equal number of individual victories in the tournament. Brett Turner and Jason Sincock getting the two wins for the team in round 1. In the second match of day we came up against a powerful Otago side fresh of the back of their 2021 South Island Interprovincial masters team victory earlier in the year. In a tight contest, the match was halved 2.5-2.5 with Jonathan Stieller claiming a win at number 1 over former Canterbury representative Andrew Hobbs with Brett Turner, Aaron Forsyth, and Jason Sincock all claiming A/S results. A decent effort against the eventual tournament runner-ups.
Day 2’s opening round was against another South Island opposition coming up against Southland where the team suffered a 3.5-1.5 defeat with captain Andrew Dufton having the only individual victory. Unfortunately, the outcome was the same in the afternoon round vs Bay of Plenty this time going down 4-1 with just Brett Turner claiming a 2/1 win.
The middle of the week saw more joy for the team on the Wednesday and Thursday as we came up against Aorangi and Poverty Bay respectively. A 2.5-2.5 draw vs Aorangi was a positive result with Aorangi having had a good start to the tournament, this was followed by the team’s first win of the tournament coming out on top 3-2 against Poverty Bay. Wins to Jonathan Stieller, Brett Turner and Jason Sincock getting the team home in that one.
With the BYE on Thursday afternoon, Friday saw the team’s final two games of the tournament. In perhaps their best performance of the week the team rallied to a convincing 4.5- 0.5 victory over Tasman with 4 wins and an A/S by reserve Simon Marshall who came into the lineup. The tournament finished off with a tough game to eventual tournament champions Wellington who were too strong in their home tournament coming away with a 5-0 result to claim the title.
Overall, a testing week for our men who found themselves in many of the games but with fine lines were only to come away with the 2 team victories. A notable mention to Brett Turner who recorded 5 wins and a half from his 8 rounds a team highlight with Jason Sincock also chipping in with 4 wins and a half.
Full results can be viewed - HERE.
