It is dress rehearsal time for the Otago golf teams.
Both the men and the women are chasing South Island titles this weekend as the countdown continues to the New Zealand interprovincial championship at the Waikanae and Paraparaumu Beach clubs in December.
The annual South Island interprovincial tournaments feature eight-person teams, and only five golfers can make the cut for the national event.
Otago’s men have home advantage as they host the four other South Island regions in the matchplay format at Balmacewen this weekend.
Inia Logan, Ryan Bellamy and Parker Aluesi are all missing from the five-man team that played at the national interprovincial last year, so this tournament represents a big opportunity for other golfers to impress the selectors.
Rising star Will McLauchlan, who was at No5 for Otago last year, will be at No1 on his home course, backed by Callum Judkins and Wanaka golfer Hamish Ireland.
Fresh from making the final of the Otago matchplay, Brandon Hodgson will form a formidable middle order with Phil Bungard and Jacob Bellamy, while lefty Ben Patston and Otago junior star Ricky Kang will provide the sting in the tail.
Five teams means a staggered matchplay format.
McLauchlan, Ireland, Jacob Bellamy and Kang will tackle Aorangi opposition in the Saturday morning round, while the other four meet Southland opposition. That is reversed in the afternoon.
On Sunday, McLauchlan and company play Canterbury golfers in the morning and Tasman contenders in the afternoon, and their Otago team-mates play the inverse.
Former Otago No1 Tom Lee, now playing out of the Christchurch club, leads a strong Canterbury team that includes rising star Cooper Moore.
The women’s interprovincial at the Rangiora club is down to just three teams — Otago joined by Canterbury and Aorangi — so the draw for the one-day tournament is completely mixed.
Otago’s team is a nice mix of youth and experience.
Sumin Kang and Yoonae Jeong, at No1 and No2 respectively, are still young but are now seasoned matchplay representatives, and Kang is in good form after winning the Otago matchplay for a third time.
Matchplay finalist Judith Yates and the experienced Abby Crawford and Tracey Storer join Wanaka golfer Nikki Shaw and schoolgirls Anahera Koni and Sophia Park.
Young stars Sora Kishida and Aroha Minhinnick headline a Canterbury team that will be tough to beat.
SI interprovincial
Otago teams
Men: Will McLauchlan, Callum Judkins, Hamish Ireland, Brandon Hodgson, Phil Bungard, Jacob Bellamy, Ben Patston, Ricky Kang.
Women: Sumin Kang, Yoonae Jeong, Judith Yates, Anahera Koni, Sophia Park, Abby Crawford, Tracey Storer, Niki Shaw.
