The performances of Otago's leading golfers on the first two days of the Otago matchplay championships at Balmacewen have done nothing but create headaches for the selectors.
They are required this evening to name an eight-man team to compete in the South Island teams' tournament in Christchurch next month.
With Brent McEwan (No 1) and Thomas Facer (No 5) failing to qualify for the championship field, and Mitch Bosley, Andrew Hobbs, Brandon Hodgson and Shennan Reid making first-round exits, tonight's team may have quite a different order than the 10-man team which competed in the triangular tournament two weeks ago.
Selectors Alan and Murray Rose will be concentrating on the senior plate to sort out their team with Bosley, Hobbs and Hodgson all in the semifinals.
Michael Minty (St Clair) has been the star of the tournament to date, qualifying in top spot on Saturday and making his way to the semifinal by beating Travis Applegarth (Otago) and Kayne Wardell (Allen Grange) yesterday.
Minty will come up against Liam Balneaves (Southland) this morning.
Balneaves won his semfinal berth by beating Michael Smith (Otago) in the afternoon.
Balneaves has a liking for the hilly Balmacewen course having set a course record of 62 in the Otago strokeplay event.
The final could be an all-Southland affair, with Cody Harper on the other side of the draw after beating Cameron Beel (Otago) on the third play-off hole.
Chisholm Park's Phil Bungard did not make the last Otago team but has made it to the final four to play Harper this morning.
The two Otago players who did not make the top 16 met in the first round of the senior B event with Thomas Facer (Otago) beating Brent McEwan (St Clair) on the final green.
Facer was 3-up with three to go in his afternoon round with Simon Gallie who finished birdie-eagle-par to force a play-off which Facer won on the the third playoff hole.
McEwan also returned to form in the afternoon scoring 69 to beat Brad Nicholson (Queenstown) in 12 holes in the Senior B plate.
