Visitors look strong

CHAMPION Waka Donnelly will have something to say about it but chances are that the 2011 Poverty Bay Open title will be heading to the Bay of Plenty.
Bay of Plenty Golf confirmed this week it is entering at least seven players in the FMG-sponsored Open on the Poverty Bay course from October 6 to 8 — Brad Kendall (a member of Mt Maunganui), Andrew Stewart (Omokoroa), Landyn Edwards (Rotorua), Craig Hamilton (Omanu), James Hamilton (Tauranga), Hayden Beard (Mt Maunganui) and William Howard (Rotorua).
The players make up the bulk of the Bay of Plenty squad from which their six-man national interprovincial team will be selected. The interprovincial is being held this year at Poverty Bay from November 22 to 26.
The Poverty Bay Open not only will give the Bay of Plenty players valuable experience of the course, which will be set up similar to how it will be presented at the nationals, it will also be a trial.
Having such quality players in the field is a huge bonus for the club, and if they perform to their potential, seven-time Open champion Donnelly has a daunting task ahead to equal Frank Gordon’s record of eight Open crowns.
Kendall, who won the 2010 New Zealand strokeplay title, and Stewart are members of the Srixon high-performance golf academy.
The players range in age from 19 to 21, reflecting the Bay of Plenty rebuilding period after a staggering run of success from 2002 to 2009, when they won the national interprovincal six times and were runners-up or semifinalists the other two years.
Six of the Bay of Plenty players coming for the Open were involved in the recent interprovincial quadrangular — also featuring Poverty Bay-East Coast, Waikato and Hawke’s Bay — in Hawke’s Bay.
Poverty Bay-East Coast No. 4 Andrew Higham defeated Beard while No. 1 junior Quentin Carmichael halved with Howard. The other Bay of Plenty players had comfortable victories.
The Open is also a Poverty Bay-East Coast trial for the national interprovincial, so most of the region’s leading players will be in action.
As of this week, the Open had attracted 73 entries, and there is room for another 23.
Those interested should contact Bruce More at the Poverty Bay pro shop.
n The PBEC teams to compete in the Booth Shield interprovincial junior tournament at Poverty Bay over Labour Weekend are —
Team one: William Brown (capt) (Waikohu), Taine Lincoln (Tolaga Bay), Te Raumati Hawea (Poverty Bay), Nathanial Soloman (Wairoa), Dean Pohatu (Patutahi), Tessa McDonald (Gisborne Park), Jacqui Colbert (PB), Noeline Madden (Tahunga), Maia Christie (Wai), Skylah Pohatu (Pat),
Team 2: Quentin Carmichael (capt) (PB), Dallas Williams (Wai), Peta Westrupp (PB), Jeremy Tucker (PB), Daniel Marsh (Waikohu), Claude Smith (Tah), Te Rua Munroe (Wai), Pukerau Paenga (Tol Bay), Wade Wesche (Mahia), Raymond Hawley (Wai).