|
03 December 2010 - Day 3 Wrap of TORO Interprovincial Tournament: Wellington Beat Champions
Wellington Beat Champions
Wellington dug deep to upset defending champions Auckland in a must-win clash to keep their hopes alive of a semifinal spot at the TORO Women’s Interprovincials on home turf today.
After being held to a halved encounter with Bay of Plenty in the morning, Wellington needed the win over Auckland which looked improbable until they came from behind to get home 3½ - 1½ .
Bay of Plenty had to withstand a tough clash with Canterbury to win 4-1 and go to the top of division one with nine points, one ahead of Wellington with Auckland back on seven points.
That leaves Wellington needing to beat winless Aorangi South Canterbury in the final round tomorrow to earn them their first semifinal place for more than a decade while Auckland must beat Bay of Plenty by a clear match if they are to make the playoffs on countback.
In the other division Waikato, the 2008 champions, and North harbour, last year’s runners up, have already booked their places in Saturday’s semfinals.
With Waikato sneaking into the top spot on a countback of individual games, it may mean that Harbour may clash with cross-bridge rivals Auckland in the semifinal.
Both Waikato and Harbour had their moments in the sixth round in the afternoon, edging home 3-2 against Otago and Northland respectively.
Waikato’s Kelly Nicholas, Charlotte Willson and Hannah Seifert continued their unbeaten runs while Bay of Plenty got crucial wins at the top of the order by heather Lavery and Saini Skudder on the final green to get them home.
North Harbour were never threatened with Lydia Ko again in stunning form in both games today, making six birdies and an eagle in the two rounds both in red figures.
The focus went on locals Wellington, who had to bounce back after their second halved match, sharing the honours with Bay of Plenty in the morning.
They led early against Auckland but the defending champions worked back into a threatening position coming down the stretch.
Parreno, 16, had lost each of her previous four games at No 3 for Wellington but this afternoon stepped up in the crucial closing holes to grab the vital 3 and 2 victory over the impressive Caryn Khoo.
“I knew we had one win and that wasn’t enough and I had to get home,” Parreno said.
“I would prefer not to know where the match was, so I could stay in my own game. It added so much pressure. I was shaking going down my last hole. It was so scary.
“I wasn’t happy coming into this and I really wanted to win. I knew how to play well. I knew the course. All I had to do was play my own game.
“Now this is fantastic. It feels great. It was amazing and I know we can get a win tomorrow and make the semifinals. That was our main aim coming in this week.”
In tomorrow’s final round North Harbour and Waikato clash to decide who is top of the section for the semifinals, while the Bay of Plenty-Auckland game looms as a classic to decide the other division.
The semifinals and finals are on Saturday.
read more >
|
Service Bookings
.png)