By Julie Walls - Focus Media
The 47th Distinction Luxmore Fiordland Winter Golf Classic 2024 has grown to support growth of the tournament amongst the younger generation, with fields increasing year on year.
While in 2021 it was one of the biggest field ever at 112 teams this has grown to 120 teams in 2024 (240 players).
Dawn Dowling Fiordland Classic Convener of 21 years said, ”It started out with 120 teams but two teams pulled out the day before the tournament. I had a waiting list but ended up getting everyone into the field.”
“The Te Anau Plumbing Stableford field on the Friday, this year had 128 players and shows how popular the tournament has become, she said”.
Te Anau Plumbing in its sixth year of sponsoring the Friday Stableford and the winners for 2024 were Alistair Burnett and Grayson Dolan both on 41.
“The weekend weather featured beautiful afternoons but experienced frost on Friday morning and inversion layer both Saturday and Sunday mornings”,
“The 120 Fiordland Classic teams were from 51 different clubs all the way from North Island to Bluff and a waiting list of teams were still desperate to get into the field”.
Approaching its 50th year, Dowling said the Classic was the brainchild of tourism operator Wilson Campbell at a time when Te Anau struggled to attract visitors during winter. “It’s probably the biggest winter tournament in the country, she said.”
Top honours for the Classic two-day event were the combination of MaryAnne Lindsay (Drummond) and Sam Walker (Mataura) (205). The combination of John Hughes and Paul Adams of Invercargill took out top honours in 2023.
Well done to MaryAnne and Sam, it’s been a very long time since two women won this tournament in fact I think there’s only been one other woman team in the 47 years of the tournament and that was Marg Hughes and Christina King both of Te Anau in 1989, said Dawn.
The chance to win the all-new Hyundai KONA Elite was back for 2024. The criteria was all you had to do was hit a hole-in-one during play on the Sunday only on #6 at the Fiordland Winter Classic. The only hole-in–one was achieved was on the Saturday by Kawana George on #7, who won a Trip for Two to Doubtful Sound sponsored by RealNZ.
The overall first prize for the winning team, sponsored by RealNZ. A weekend for four for two nights at Stewart Island including ferry crossings, accommodation with meals and sightseeing trips.
Runners-up Harry Dickie Mataura and Sandra Richan Te Anau (207) and third place went to Tim Medder St Clair and Scott Emmerson St Clair (207 c/b)
A Fiordland Summer Classic tournament is not confirmed but tentatively to be held on the 4th and 5th January 2025, with online entries available on Te Anau Golf Club website.
Results
1st: MaryAnne Lindsay (Drummond) & Sam Walker (Mataura) 205
2nd: Harry Dickie (Mataura) & Sandra Richan (Te Anau) 207
3rd: Tim Medder (St Clair) & Scott Emmerson (St Clair) 207 c/b
4th: Nick Jones (Riversdale) & Brad Cross ( Waikaka) 207 c/b
5th: Paul Adams (Invercargill) & John Hughes (Invercargill)207 c/b
6th: Mark Payne (Invercargill) & Garth Clelland (Riversdale) 211
7th: Liam Hewitt (Invercargill) & Conner Fowle (Tuatapere) 211 c/b
8th: Doug McWilliam (Green Acres) & Tony Burns (Green Acres) 211 c/b
9th: Brodie Mangels (Hororata) & Ross Mangels (Otautau) 212
10th: Alistair Burnett (Invercargill) & Jeremy Bekhuis (Invercargill) 212 c/b
Incentive Holes:
Saturday 4BBB Winners: Tim Medder (St Clair) & Scott Emmerson (St Clair)
Nett 60 Runners Up: Woody Wilson (Te Anau) & Rocket Wilson (Te Anau) Nett 60 c/b
Nearest the Pin GWD Hyundai #6: Austin Black (Cromwell)
Nearest the Pin RealNZ #7: Kawana George Hole-in-One(Green Acres)
Nearest the Pin Inspire Golf #11: Connor Fowle (Tuatapere)
Sunday Combined Nett: MaryAnne Lindsay (Drummond) & Sam Walker (Mataura) 139
Best Gross Over the Field Sunday: Winner Men: Liam Hewitt (Invercargill) 67- Runner Up Men: Paul Adam (Invercargill) 72
Winner Ladies: Amber Boyce (Wanaka) 77 - Runner Up Ladies: Amy Johns (Arrowtown) 77 c/b
Best Nett Over the Field Winner Men: Jason Herrick (Mossburn) 66 - Runner Up Men: Nigel Fowle (Tuatapere) 67
Winner Ladies: MaryAnne Lindsay (Drummond) 69 - Runner Up Ladies Sandra Richan (Te Anau) 73
Nearest the Pin GWD Hyundai #6: Kerry Macdonald (Te Anau)
Nearest the Pin RealNZ #7: Nick Hamiltom (Mossburn)
Nearest the Pin #11 Inspire Golf: Jamahl Aerepo-Morgan (Bluff)
