Clutch putt ensures half for Otago Blue

Michael Smith.
Michael Smith.
A 4m putt on the final green by Michael Smith to beat Mark Collie one up got leader Otago Blue out of jail to clinch a 3-3 draw with the Chisholm team on Chisholm Links on Saturday.

The half keeps Otago Blue at the top of the table with 10 points and 16.5 games while Island Park is hard on its heels with nine points and 12.5 games.

After the first four games were completed, Kyle Geary and Peter Rae won for the Links team while Brandon Hodgson and Luke Murdoch evened the score for Otago Blue.

The top two games went the full distance.

Brent Butler got up and down on the final hole to post a win over Tyrone Ratahi.

Collie and Smith were tied after 17 holes and Smith was in a strong position after Collie cut his tee shot and played three off the tee.

But Smith missed the green to the left and was still 4m away two shots later, before sinking the crucial putt.

Island Park is well placed after notching a third win, this time at the expense of St Clair Gold on the Waldronville course

At the tail, Jarden Hammond and Andrew Hobbs got the Park team off to a good start with convincing wins over Eric McAuslan and Conor Jamison respectively. Hobbs turned three up and shut the door on Jamison, starting the homeward nine with a birdie, a par and an eagle.

No 1 Ken Shaw gave Island Park a third win and the team won when Mike Wray and Monty Wong both halved their games

Tony Giles was the sole St Clair winner, edging out Michael Minty by a slender margin on the final green.

St Clair Blue had its first win of the season with a 4 to 2 win over Otago Gold.

The St Clair tail of Chris Snow and Jakob Bleach were both dominant, winning on the 13th green. In the middle order, it was one apiece with Michael Ormandy (St Clair) and Jeremy Morgan winning.

At No 1, Otago captain John McIntee beat Stephen Hitchcox, while Jacob Bellamy hit a sensational approach to the final green to set up an easy birdie, tilting the balance in St Clair's favour.

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