Isaac Steel becomes the first HBHS Golfer to win the Waikato Bay of Plenty Match Play Championships!

A strong team of twenty golfers travelled out to Te Awamutu Golf Course to take part in the match play championship held over the first three days of Summer Tournament Week. The first round is a stroke play championship to divide the field of sixty students into the different divisions. The top sixteen scores make up the top division and we were lucky enough to have three students qualify, Isaac Steel (Year 11) on 71, Ricci Putohe (Year 12) with 74, and Captain of Golf, Cole Tosland (Year 13) with 76. All the boys won their first round match so we had three in the top 8. Cole went up against the reigning champion and winner of the stroke play with an impressive 65 on the Monday. Unfortunately, Cole lost, being three down with two holes to go. Ricci, who finished second last year and hit his second hole-in-one in a week, went down on the 18th hole to the top female golfer from St Peter's School Cambridge. Isaac knocked out St Peter's top male golfer, winning four up with two holes to play. He was then matched up to face Tokoroa High School's best golfer, who is a massive driver of the ball, but Isaac kept his cool and won two up with one hole to play. This set up the final against Hunter Ussher from Whangamatā Area School, who was last year's champion. Hunter went three up very early and Isaac struggled to take his opportunities, and when he did, he seemed to lose the next hole. Isaac was three down after nine holes and showed great perseverance and fight to claw his way back to one down with two holes to play. When playing the last five holes they also had the pressure of fifty people following and watching every shot. Isaac has an amazing temperament and got the game back to all square going down the 18th hole, and survived Hunter having a putt to win the match. The game was tied so they had to go back and play the 18th again. Isaac was able to remain the calmest and kept his emotions under control and got par which was enough to win the title. This was so good for all the HBHS Golfers to see, as Isaac trains hard and all the work is certainly paying off. 

Match Play Results:

Division 1: Isaac Steel (Year 11) Match Play Champion 🥇

Division 1: Stroke Play Competition                              Ricci Putohe (Yr 12) 73 🥈 

Division 2: Blake Irwin (Year 13) 🥈

Division 3: Thomas Ter Beek (Year 13 ) 🥇 

Thomas had play his younger brother, Flynn ter Beek (Year 9) in the final.

Division 4: Maiaorere Harmon (Year 12) 🥇

Division 5: Jakob Arthur (Year 12) 🥇

Jakob had to play Nicholas Seel (Year 10) in the final.