The Otago masters (over-40) men's golf team finished in ninth place with 3.5 points after one loss and one win on the final day of competition in Gisborne yesterday.
Otago lost to Hawkes Bay by a 2 to 3 margin in the morning and beat Waikato 3.5 to 1.5 in the final round in the afternoon.
In the morning, Gary Creedy shot a gross round of 80 and was outplayed by the Bay's No 1, Bruce Middlemiss, who won in 13 holes.
But Creedy turned it around in the afternoon with a couple of birdies on each nine to beat Waikato's Phil Hunter on the 17th green.
Otago No 2 Ken Shaw was unbeaten on the final day with a win over Henry Heather (Hawkes Bay) in the morning and a draw with Waikato's David Jackson in the afternoon.
Greg Johnson (No 3) had a mixed final day, with sub-par golf in the morning to beat David Hurrell 5 and 4.
But in the afternoon, Waikato's Michael Karl sank a 7m birdie putt on the final green to clinch the win from Jonhson.
North Otago's John Cunningham also had mixed fortunes, with a 17-hole loss in the morning but winning on the same green over Wybo Veldman (Waikato) in the afternoon.
Poor play on the outward nine in the morning cost Otago No 5 Stephen Hitchcox, who turned four down to the Bay's Phil Gravestock.
Despite a spirited fightback on the homeward nine, Hitchcox remained one down when the match finished on the final green.
In the afternoon he made amends with a sub-par back nine to beat Joe Doherty 3 and 1.
