The top St Clair team had considerable success last year, winning the metropolitan and provincial pennants as well as finishing as top club in the champion of champions event.
But yesterday’s surprise loss playing at home has thrown this year’s event wide open and it is now expected to be one of the more exciting series in recent years.
Island Park No4 Mike Wray beat Connor Ross on the 17th green, while No5 Andrew Hobbs halved with St Clair Blue captain Chris Snow.
Ken Shaw could not get a Taieri club team together so the keen masters (over-40) golfer also joined Island Park, celebrating his first game with a 3 and 2 win at the expense of Jakob Bleach.
Despite the giant-killing performance by Island Park the team lies third with three points and 3.5 games.
Chisholm Links leads the points table with three points and 4.5 games after convincingly beating Otago Gold. on the linksland course.
The Links team’ win was set up by the team’s middle order with the Geary brothers, Sean and Kyle, posting good margins over Otago’s Jeremy Morgan and Scott Clark respectively.
Otago Gold started on the back foot with a game down when No6 Cameron Ryder failed to appear, gifting a win to Peter Rae.
For Otago Gold, John McIntee beat Link’s captain Mark Collie on the final green while at No 2 Joseph Hancock snatched a half with Brent Butler.
Otago Blue is in second place with a 4 to 2 win over St Clair Gold which posted one win and two halves.
Former Otago No. 1 Tony Giles beat Macauley Howell by 4 and 2 while Ross Colquhoun and Chris Idour each finished tied after the 18 holes.
Otago Blue’s captain, Brandon Hodgson, was on fire at No 1, beating former Chisholm Links golfer Conor Jamison on the 12th green.
At No5, Jason Hughes gave Otago Blue its second win and No 2 Ben Patston beat Troy Ferguson two up.
