Canterbury Match Play Champions from left to right: Marty Holman (Seniors), Yoyo Fu (Womens), Greg Shepherd (Sponsor), Rhian Hamilton (Div 2), Cooper Moore (Boys U19), Andrew Dufton (Masters), Mike Toeke (Mens)
Men's Championship
Women's Championship
Men's Masters
Men's Div 2
Men's Seniors
Boy's U19
Finals
Men's Championship - Mike Toeke v Reid Hilton. All square after 18 holes - playoff. Toeke wins on the 19th.
Women's Championship - Maddie May v Yoyo Fu. Fu wins 2up.
Men's Masters - Andrew Dufton v Alisdair Reid. Dufton wins 3/2.
Men's Seniors - Tala Natapu v Marty Holman. Holman wins 3/2.
Men's Div 2 - Ryan Barham v Rhian Hamilton. Hamilton wins 1up.
Boys U19 - Cooper Moore v Yuki Miya. All square after 18 holes. Moore wins on the 19th.
Men's Championship - the battle between Canterbury Reps Mike Toeke (Christchurch) and Reid Hilton (Russley) was a close run affair all the way. Through the turn Hilton had eeked out a 1up lead but with players trading holes they came down the 18th all square. Hilton had hit a nice drive down the middle while Toeke had hit his drive pin high but 30 metres right of the green. Short-sided the best he could do was 30 feet from the pin while Hilton had played a nice approach to 12 feet. Toeke putted close for a two putt and it was up to Hilton to seal the win with his putt. The gathered crowd thought he had made it but as it lost speed it slid across the front of the hole and sat on the right lip. Hilton was distraught and this probably affected his tee shot on the first play-off hole when he pulled it into the hazard and had to take a penalty. He got the approach on the green but was along way from the hole. Meanwhile Toeke was on the green in two and being one shot ahead of Hilton safely won the hole and the championship on his home course.
Women's Championship - Russley's Maddie May was favourite for the Final against Yoyo Fu (Pegasus) but couldn't find early form and went three down by the turn to very steady play from Fu. Fu was particularly deadly holing out mid range putts to keep her advantage. However May won a string of holes at the beginning of the back nine and they went to the 16th hole all square which they halved. Fu won the 17th hole to take a crucial advantage into 18 and then hit a nice drive and approach to seal the victory.
Men's Masters - Rangiora's Alisdair Reid bought good form into the Final having beaten Canterbury Rep and defending champion Brett Turner in the semi. After nine holes he was one up against top seed Andrew Dufton (Russley) and looking likely. However Dufton's experience in tight matches began to shine through, and with Reid starting to wobble, the tide turned and Dufton ran out the winner 3/2 to add another Canterbury Championship to his trophy cabinet.
Men's Seniors - the top two qualifiers played off in the Seniors Final and Marty Holman on his home course was too strong for Amberley's Tala Natapu. Although giving away distance off the tee, Holman kept the ball in play more often and had a 2up advantage through nine holes. Natapu struggled with the putter and was unable to pull back the deficit despite having opportunities. Holman was able to maintain the advantage through the back nine to run out a 3/2 winner.
Men's Div 2 - Harewood Clubmates Ryan Barham and Rhian Hamilton had a see-saw battle in the Final. Barham was the form horse early getting to 3up by the turn and 4up early in the back nine. However Christchurch's infamous fairway bunker on the 13th hole snared a good drive from Barham and it all seemed to unravel from there. Going down the 18th all square Hamilton played his best shot of the Final - an approach to three feet giving him a birdie and the win. Barham had not been down in any of his matches until that last putt and will rue the missed opportunity.
Boy's U19 - an intriguing match developed between Russley clubmates and young guns Cooper Moore and Yuki Miya. Through the front nine battle Yuki had gained a 1up advantage, and although Cooper got back to square a couple of times through the back nine, Yuki went down the 18th hole 1up. However a wayward drive and difficult approach meant he had to hole an eight footer for par and the win - the putt lipped out and the boys were off to the 19th. The match was decided on the green when unfortunately Yuki three-putted giving Cooper the win. A close match and we are sure there will be many more between these close friends and rivals.
Lucky Draw
Two draws were made from all entries by sponsor Greg Shepherd for a $2000 E-Golf Scooter. The winners were Zach May and Andrew Dufton. There were four E-Golf Scooters on display through the weekend and they generated plenty of interest in players and members alike.
Thank You
Thanks to the CGRA Referees, Canterbury Golf volunteers and our tournament sponsor E-Mega Store. The biggest thanks goes to the Christchurch Golf Club - its staff and members. The course was presented in superb condition and received many compliments throughout the weekend.
Semi-finals
Women's Championship - Maddie May beat Estelle Lin 4/3. Yoyo Fu beat Amy Weng 1up. There was some high quality golf played in the May v Lin match with both players square through the turn, and May eeking out a 1up lead. Maddie played solid golf from there to get the win. In the Fu v Weng match, Yoyu played solid golf while Amy wasn't quite up to her usual standard. Fu was three up with four to play and Weng made a nice birdie on the 15th. She also won the 17th to go to the 18th one down. Weng played a great approach to 8 feet but the birdie putt slipped by and Yoyo won 1up.
Men's Championship - semi-finals favourites Mike Toeke and Reid Hilton were both in trouble after 9 holes. Hilton was 3 down on the turn to Finlay Jones,and Toeke was one down to Zach May. Hilton hung in there while Jones struggled to maintain his form down the stretch making six bogeys in eight holes. Hilton eventually ran out the winner on the 17th. Jones will rue missing the opportunity to make the final but has made some giant strides over the weekend to compete with the top echelon of Canterbury players. The back nine between Toeke and May became a bit of a ding-donger, but by the 18th Toeke had eeked out a 1up lead and was happy to half the 18th for a win.
Men's Masters - the match between Brett Turner and Alisdair Reid was a close affair all the way. Turner had a 1up lead after nine but by the 18th Reid had turned that around to go down the hole 1up. A wayward drive by Turner was enough for Reid to seal the win 2up. Dufton was quick out of the blocks and got to 4up through 7 holes, however two birdies from O'Hara meant Dufton was only 2up on the turn. By the 18th Dufton's lead had been reduced to one, and a spectacular birde putt from O'Hara sent them to sudden death. O'Hara should have won the 19th hole, but three-putted, then O'Hara sank another long putt for par on the 20th while Dufton's birdie attempt slid past. On the 21st Dufton played the best approach and left his 8 foot birdie putt on the lip. However O'Hara three putted, lipping out his par putt, and the match was Duftons.
Women's Championship - Maddie May beat Estelle Lin 4/3. Yoyo Fu beat Amy Weng 1up.
Men's U19's - Cooper Moore beat Edward Dickinson 4/3, Yuki Miya beat Phong Nguyen 3/1.
Men's Seniors - Marty Holman beat Lin Wang 3/2, Tala Natapu beat PY Kim 1up...
Men's Div 2 - Ryan Barham beat Jason Strachan 6/5, Rhian Hamilton beat Aaron Neill 1up
Men's Masters - Alisdair Reid beat Brett Turner 2up, Andrew Dufton beat Gavin O'Hara on the 21st hole 1up
Men's Championship - Reid Hilton beat Finlay Jones 2/1, Mike Toeke beat Zach May 1up
